The new BSI model assesses the AI readiness of companies around the world, with 76% of survey respondents saying a lack of focus on AI would be a competitive disadvantage.
BSI's newly launched Global AI Maturity Model finds that Chinese and Indian companies are better prepared to smoothly integrate AI into their operations, prepare their workforce for the resulting changes in their work, and use AI for their own good, while the UK, Japan and the Netherlands need to make further progress in areas such as investment, training and supplier collaboration.
BSI's model assesses and weights a series of measures including organisational trust and readiness for AI adoption in businesses around the world to arrive at a single score. India was identified as the most mature market for AI with a score of 4.58, ahead of China's 4.25. Based on insights from 932 business leaders across nine countries and seven sectors, the indicators include attitudes and behaviours around investment, training, internal and external communication and safety. The analysis, published as part of BSI's Trust in AI report, showed that the UK and Japan are less mature than other countries, which may be influenced by factors such as policy direction and media coverage that focuses on risks rather than opportunities. Across all measures, China and India topped the list, followed by the US in third place and Australia.
The survey reveals a gap between perceptions of what is needed for successful AI adoption and the steps being taken. More than three-quarters (76%) of global business leaders believe not investing in AI will put their organisation at a competitive disadvantage. Yet 30% believe their organisation has insufficiently invested in AI tools. Similarly, while nine in ten feel it is important to provide training to ensure safe, ethical and effective use (89%) and a similar proportion (87%) feel their company should train their teams in using AI tools to protect jobs, only a third are substantially aware that their organisation provides such training and only two-fifths say their organisation has a specific learning and development programme.
Overall, enterprise engagement with AI is high, but there is wide variation: 96% and 94% in China and India respectively say they encourage the use of AI in their business, compared to 40% in Japan and 65% in the UK. In Japan, there is a similar trend in confidence that their business can harness the benefits of AI (50% vs. 96% in China). Larger organizations are more likely than SMEs to say they encourage the use of AI in their business (84% vs. 67%) and are more confident in their business's ability to leverage AI (89% vs. 76%).
Teuns Kotze, Managing Director, BSI Group India Private LTDSaid: “BSI's International AI Maturity Model paints a positive, yet nuanced picture of a world excited by AI's potential and promise as a force for good. India is ahead of other countries and sectors, but there is still a way to go in building trust and confidence. As AI becomes integral to the future of life and work, investing in standards, training and assurance will be key. Success is not about being first, but building trust in the quality of data and data integrity on which AI is based. BSI is committed to playing its role in shaping guardrails for the safe and ethical use of AI, which will help businesses around the world embrace AI to build a positive future for all.”
Notably, less than half of companies globally have an AI strategy (53% in India), dropping to 28% in the Netherlands and 21% in Japan. On a more positive note, 93% of companies globally recognise the importance of an ethical approach to AI. BSI recently published the first international AI management system standard (BS ISO/IEC 42001) with a set of measures to enable the safe, secure and responsible use of AI. However, globally, only one in three companies (29%) are aware of any significant moves their company has made to put such policies and processes in place (compared to 81% in India).
BSI also surveyed Indian leaders about where they see room for AI: 65% say improving productivity and efficiency, including supply chain management (55%), is a key opportunity, followed by improving customer service (54%). More than half of Indian business leaders see AI as a tool to help manage, measure and report on sustainability goals (52%). 90% expect AI to transform manual roles, and Indians are most likely to expect AI to transform some knowledge-based roles (94%).
