Kyndryl has released the findings of its highly interesting third annual Readiness Report, which reveals a growing gap between the benefits organizations see from investing in AI and their readiness to manage the risks and demands that come with it.
While 64% of leaders report already obtaining positive returns on investments in AI, an increase of 10 points compared to 2025, the average preparation to face external risks fell seven points to 24%.
The steepest declines were in preparedness to face cyber threats and competitive disruptions, as AI puts new pressure on business models, technological foundations and the functioning of organizations.
Focus on professionals, technology and governance
This year’s report collects the responses of 3,700 senior business leaders in 21 countries, (200 of them in Spain). The data shows a dichotomy: as organizations compete to realize returns on significant investments in AI, they feel ill-prepared to address the implications for this new era.
“As AI creates opportunities, organizations are focused on maintaining returns on their investment,” says Martin Schroeter, president and CEO of Kyndryl. “This year’s Readiness Report shows a new gap: AI ambitions are moving faster than the systems that support them, and the readiness bar continues to move as AI becomes integrated into businesses. Our data shows that focusing on people, technology and governance can help you win with AI and maintain the ability to adapt as opportunities evolve.”
Transition from experimentation to broader, sustained adoption remains uneven
The report details how organizations are advancing and adapting their AI adoption strategies:
- Significantly fewer organizations describe themselves as being in the experimentation phase compared to a year ago (49%, down 13 points compared to 2025; in Spain, this figure drops to 44%).
- Almost half (48%), both globally and in Spain, substantially changed their AI strategies this year, with implications for technology, professionals and governance.
- Almost a quarter (24%) saw an AI investment fail (27% in Spain) and 21% canceled a major AI initiative (24% in Spain).
The transition from experimentation to broader, sustained adoption remains uneven, especially in terms of practitioners’ adaptation to change:
- Only 27% have formally updated roles and responsibilities related to AI (in Spain, this percentage rises to 29%).
- 29% have fully implemented change management for the adoption of AI in their organizations (in Spain, this percentage rises to 31%).
- Those who have done both are 28 points more likely to be fully prepared for their AI implementation, and 8 points more likely to see a positive return on their AI investments.
It is possible to consult Kyndryl’s complete “Readiness Report” on its website. It is possible to see how the transition from experimentation to broader and sustained adoption remains uneven, especially with regard to the adaptation of professionals.
