Artificial Intelligence: Its incorporation into companies is slower than CEOs intend

A study by the company Cisco together with Opinion Matters on the behavior of the CEO regarding AI reveals that 97% of respondents replied that they are willing to incorporate new technology into their processes, but only 1.7% said they feel in a position to achieve it. The vast majority of responses warned that knowledge gaps threaten the strategic decisions and growth of companies.

This duality in the answers, which the report qualifies as “paradox”it crosses 4 out of 5 CEO that recognize the potential of the AI, but many fear that the gaps in the understanding of their use impact on the strategic decisions of the companies, risking losing opportunities and falling behind with respect to competitors.

Of that majority that plans to integrate AI in its operations, 74% fears that the gaps in their knowledge will hinder decisions in the company’s directory And another alert portion that can stop growth (58%), risking losing opportunities and being left behind competitors.

Cisco’s research shows that more than 70% of CEOs They are worried about losing ground in front of competitors And lose opportunities due to Gaps in IT and Infrastructure: fears that are already translating into real losses, he says.

More than half of the CEO (53%) care that the lack of investment in technology is costing them a competitive advantage, while two thirds are concerned about the opportunity costs not to invest in technology.

Inaction costs They are not hypothetical scenarios. If they do not invest in technology now, the CEO say they expect higher operating costs, lower profits, reduced productivity and a market share in decline.

The three good reasons to use artificial intelligence in companies

Among the reasons that the CEOs expose to resort to the transformative potential of the AI ​​include the following: Promote efficiency (69%), stimulate innovation (68%) and overcome competitors (54%).

But fulfilling these objectives requires that CEO Barriers break in their corporations that prevent them from taking advantage of the potential of AI. These barriers are the shortage of skills, gaps in infrastructure and safety risks.

At this point, the report explains that while the CEOs focus on the overview, their managers of Finance and Technology They are often dealing with daily obstacles, including the lack of convincing business use cases of AI.

This voltage between the different areas of a corporation may reflect the exploratory phase in which AI is in most cases reported: 82% of the CEOs who said he recognized the potential benefits of AI clarified that They must promote a bold experimentation in the short term to discover the value of its long -term implementation.

Cisco’s research reveals what CEO’s plan is to transform fear into progress. And it lists three actions: invest in knowledge and skills, update the infrastructure and improve security to prepare to deal with the demands of artificial intelligence.

CEO value the advantages of teamwork

But to comply with this plan, CEO will need assume decisive technological leadership both within the organization and through confidence associations with other corporate areas, such as those mentioned in finance and technology.

Almost 80 percent of CEO said that he recognizes the vital role played by their CTO and CIO in making business and investment decisions. Increasingly, technological leaders are business leaders who see modern networks and technologies not only as tools, but as enablers of Growth, Resilience and Innovation.

Executive directors know that they cannot comply with their plan without the support of experts: 96% resort to confidence associations to prepare their network for artificial intelligence.

With bold technological leadership inside and outside their organizations, executive directors have the experience to navigate uncertainties and translate the potential of AI into tangible results.

Jeetu Patel, Director of Products of Cisco, underlines the urgency of acting: “In a dynamic landscape where competition is fierce, The speed decides the winners. The leaders who act with decision today to build resilient networks and prepared for the future will be the progressive leaders in AI who will boost a real value for their business. Eventually there will be only two types of companies: those that are AI companies and those that are irrelevant ”

For his part, Oliver Tuszik, president of Cisco Emea, highlights the opportunity: “whole businesses will be revolutionized if they can unlock the AI ​​potential to innovate faster, simplify its operations and resist digital disruptions. But nobody can do it alone. That is why 96% of CEOs are based on trusted partners to make the leap. ”

The “CEO study” presented by Cisco was carried out by Opinion Matters between December 24, 2024 and January 2, 2025. Surveyed 2,503 executive directors of companies with more than 250 employees worldwide. The company announced that in the coming months it will publish a complementary study with 8,065 senior network leaders, which will explore the strategic and operational needs of the network and safety in the AI ​​era.