To determine the extent to which organizational data performance has improved as generative AI and other AI advances have overtaken it, MIT Technology Review Insights surveyed 800 senior data and technology executives. We also conducted in-depth interviews with 15 technology and business leaders.
Key findings from the report include the following:
• Some data teams are keeping pace with AI. Organizations today are no better at delivering data strategy than they were in the days of generative AI. Among those surveyed in 2025, 12% self-rated as “high achievers,” compared to 13% in 2021. A shortage of skilled talent remains an obstacle, but teams also struggle with accessing fresh data, tracking lineage, and dealing with the complexity of security.
• Partly as a result, the AI isn’t fully firing yet. There are even fewer “high achievers” when it comes to AI. Only 2% of respondents rate their organizations’ AI performance in terms of delivering measurable business results today. In fact, most are still struggling to scale generative AI. While two-thirds have deployed it, only 7% have done so extensively.
This content was produced by Insights, the custom content arm of MIT Technology Review. It was not written by the editorial staff of MIT Technology Review. It was researched, designed and conducted by human writers, editors, analysts, and writers. The AI tools that have been used were limited to secondary production processes that passed full human review.