Indian and Chinese businesses are leaving their counterparts in the UK, Japan and the Netherlands behind in realising the benefits of AI, according to new analysis
The International AI Maturity Model, published by the BSI, shows that firms in the two emerging and developing economies have a greater level of readiness for smooth AI adoption, preparing employees for resulting challenges, and leverage it as a force for good.
Meanwhile, the UK, Japan and the Netherlands have progress to make in areas including AI investment, training and supplier engagement.
BSI’s model assesses and weights a suite of measures including organizational confidence and readiness for AI adoption among businesses globally, to come up with a single score.
It identifies India as the most AI mature market, scoring 4.58 to China’s 4.25.
Based on insights from 932 business leaders across nine countries and seven sectors, metrics include attitude and actions including around investment, training, internal and external communications and safety.
Investment in AI adoption
In China, 73% of business leaders said they were increasing investment compared to just 39% of UK business leaders.
Only 38% of UK business leaders said that their business had an AI strategy or that they had conducted an AI risk assessment – only Japan scored lower, though the Netherlands score was similar.
Meanwhile, 65% of UK business leaders said that they thought that their business encouraged the use of AI, versus 96% of Chinese business leaders and 94% of Indian business leaders.
Similarly, 72% of UK business leaders said that they were confident in their business’s ability to harness the benefits of AI, the second-lowest result of all nationalities surveyed (putting it ahead of Japan, at 50%).
96% of Chinese business leaders and 94% of Indian business leaders were confident in their business’s ability to harness the benefits of AI.
The BSI said there appears to be a link between confidence and investment in AI and the firm belief in the need for up-to-date regulation and guidance.
98% of Chinese business leaders and 95% of Indian business leaders said that it was important for their business to keep up to date with regulation and guidance around AI use and management, against 83% of UK business leaders.
Gaps in perception of successful AI adoption
The research identified gaps between perceptions of what successful AI adoption entails and concrete steps being taken.
More than three-quarters of international business leaders (76%) think organizations will be at a competitive disadvantage if they do not invest in AI.
Yet 30% felt not enough was being invested by their businesses in AI tools.
Similarly, while nine in 10 felt offering training to ensure safe, ethical and effective use was important (89%), and a similar proportion (87%) felt businesses should train teams to utilize AI tools in order to protect jobs, only a third reported substantive awareness of their company offering such training and only two-fifths said their businesses had a specific learning and development programme.
Susan Taylor Martin, BSI CEO, said: “BSI’s International AI Maturity Model paints a positive but nuanced picture of a world excited about AI’s potential and its promise as a force for good. Some countries and some sectors are pulling ahead, while for others there is a journey still to go on to build trust and confidence. Investment in standards, training and assurance is key as AI becomes integral to the future of life and work.
“While the model shows diverging paths thus far on AI, its mass adoption and integration into work and life is a marathon, not a sprint. Success is not about being first, but about building trust.”
Less than half have AI strategy
Less than half of businesses have an AI strategy (44%) – falling to just 28% in the Netherlands and 21% in Japan.
More positively, 93% globally recognize the importance of an ethical approach to AI. BSI recently published the first international AI management system standard (BS ISO/IEC 42001), along with a package of measures designed to enable the safe, secure and responsible use of AI.
However, only one in three (29%) were aware of significant moves by their business to implement such policies and processes.
BSI’s research draws together four key takeaways exploring how businesses can act to shape trust in AI across their ecosystems and wider society, so AI can be realized as a force for good. These include:
- Think long-term: Look at AI as part of your wider business strategy – once the foundations are in place, businesses can optimize and evolve their AI strategy as technology advances.
- Businesses and policymakers should collaborate across borders: The goal must be to innovate with AI, but to do so safely. Alongside regulatory routes, cross-border collaboration can offer necessary protections.
- Move from intention to action: Instil trust in AI by clarifying priorities and accelerating progress towards them.
- Lead and inspire: Set the standard for an AI future in which the technology is a force for good.
