Dubai, UAE – Bain & Company has released new insights from its ongoing Generative AI Readiness Survey, revealing a dramatic rise in generative AI adoption across US companies now reaching 95%, up 12 percentage points from the prior year. The report, Survey: Generative AI’s Uptake Is Unprecedented Despite Roadblocks, explores how companies are moving from experimentation to scaled implementation, even as they contend with concerns around talent, data security, and output quality.

According to Bain’s latest findings, the average number of generative AI use cases in production has doubled over the past year. IT departments are leading in growth, while software development remains the most widely adopted use case. Over 80% of reported use cases are meeting or exceeding expectations, and nearly 60% of satisfied companies report measurable business improvements.

Yet scaling comes with friction. Companies cite difficulty sourcing in-house expertise, concerns over data security, and challenges with vendor reliability. As generative AI moves from pilot to production, frustrations diverge and early-stage users struggle with internal alignment, while more mature adopters face issues related to vendor quality and solution robustness.

Despite these growing pains, investment in generative AI is accelerating. The average annual budget has doubled to nearly $10 million, and 60% of companies plan to fund AI initiatives through standard operating budgets. The workforce is also evolving, and firms now report that 160 employees on average are dedicating time to generative AI, up 30% from previous levels.

The report notes that while adoption is nearly universal, only half of companies have developed a clear roadmap for generative AI implementation, leaving a significant portion without a defined path forward.

Bain & Company outlines key recommendations for businesses aiming to scale responsibly: secure leadership support, close internal talent gaps, evaluate vendor ecosystems carefully, and invest in systems that prioritize secure and accurate outputs.

The firms that take deliberate, strategic steps now will not only lead in generative AI—they will reshape their industries.

About Bain & Company
Bain & Company is a global consultancy that helps the world’s most ambitious change makers define the future. Across 65 cities in 40 countries, Bain works alongside clients to achieve extraordinary results and redefine industries. The firm complements its expertise with a vibrant ecosystem of digital innovators to deliver faster and more enduring outcomes. Bain has also committed more than $1 billion in pro bono services to organizations tackling today’s urgent challenges and earned a platinum rating from EcoVadis, placing it in the top 1% of companies globally. Since 1973, Bain has measured its success by the success of its clients.