AI innovation is picking up speed across industries as companies move from experimenting with new tools to fully implementing them. According to the latest ServiceNow Enterprise AI Maturity Index, created in collaboration with ThoughtLab, the average AI maturity score has jumped from 35 to 51 in just one year. While that growth is impressive, it also reveals a major challenge: many organizations are adopting AI quickly without building the strong foundation needed to support it long term.
Within this shift, a standout group of companies referred to as “Pacesetters,” are leading the way in true AI transformation. These organizations aren’t just adding AI into existing processes; they’re rethinking how their entire business operates around it. That approach is paying off, with Pacesetters seeing significantly higher innovation, productivity, and return on investment compared to their peers.
So what are they doing differently? It comes down to being intentional at every step. They align leadership around a clear AI vision, invest in clean, connected data, and redesign workflows instead of simply automating old ones. They also prioritize upskilling their teams to work alongside AI and put strong governance in place early to manage risk. Together, these strategies help them scale AI effectively—and set a roadmap for others looking to do the same.
