94% of Businesses Are Investing More in AI—Yet Only 21% Have Successfully Operationalized It

A new study from Qlik and ESG reveals that while AI adoption is accelerating, most businesses are deploying AI with little governance, oversight, or bias detection—leading to unreliable, risky, and ineffective AI-driven decisions

Qlik, a global leader in data integration, data quality, analytics, and artificial intelligence, today announced the findings of a new study conducted with Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG), exposing a critical disconnect between AI investment and execution.

ESG’s research report, “Data Readiness for Impactful Generative AI,” reveals that businesses are moving aggressively to scale AI, but many lack a structured plan to build the data foundations necessary for long-term success. While 94% are increasing spending on products and services supporting data readiness for AI, only 21% have fully embedded AI into their operations. While most organizations recognize that data quality is crucial, governance, compliance, and bias detection remain key gaps, preventing organizations from fully realizing AI’s potential.

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“Companies are rushing to adopt AI, investing heavily without a cohesive strategy,” said Drew Clarke, EVP & GM, Data Business Unit at Qlik. “AI isn’t a temporary solution—it’s a permanent transformation that requires structure, governance, and transparency. Without a clear plan and solid data foundations, businesses are magnifying risks instead of driving value.”

The new Qlik and ESG study highlights a stark misalignment between AI adoption and the critical safeguards needed to ensure its success:

• AI Adoption is Accelerating, But Many Lack a Clear Deployment Strategy: 94% of organizations are increasing spending on products and services supporting data readiness for AI, yet only 21% have fully embedded AI into their operations.
• Companies Are Collecting More Data, But Struggling to Make It Usable for AI: 64% of organizations collect data from 100 to 499 sources daily, highlighting the scale of data complexity.
• Operational Efficiency Is the Primary Metric, But AI’s Full Impact Remains Unclear: 57% measure AI’s success based on operational efficiency, while fewer track strategic business impact.
• Bias, Governance, and Compliance Gaps Are Creating Significant Risks: 48% of organizations attempt to address bias in AI through transparency in model decisions and data sources.
• Data Quality Is Critical, But Governance Remains a Challenge: Only 47% strongly agree that their governance policies are consistently enforced, highlighting gaps in oversight and compliance.

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“AI isn’t a tech problem—it’s an execution problem,” said Stephen Catanzano, Senior Analyst at ESG. “Organizations in every industry are moving quickly to scale AI but without proper safeguards, they risk regulatory, financial, and reputational consequences. While they recognize the importance of data quality, most still lack the governance needed to ensure AI models are secure and unbiased. This execution gap is why so many AI projects stall or fail to deliver tangible ROI.”

Qlik converts complex data landscapes into actionable insights, driving strategic business outcomes. Serving over 40,000 global customers, our portfolio provides advanced, enterprise-grade AI/ML, data integration, and analytics. Our AI/ML tools, both practical and scalable, lead to better decisions, faster. We excel in data integration and governance, offering comprehensive solutions that work with diverse data sources. Intuitive analytics from Qlik uncover hidden patterns, empowering teams to address complex challenges and seize new opportunities. As strategic partners, our platform-agnostic technology and expertise make our customers more competitive.

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