The 2025 Wharton report on enterprise AI adoption

Companies are adopting AI quickly, but in a deeply uneven way. That is the key message of the 2025 Wharton Human-AI Research report. ⤵️

-> Tech and finance companies are at the front of the wave

Logically enough, AI takes hold fastest in industries where workflows are already digital, while skill-building slows things down where the work remains hybrid or field-based. Tech (90%), finance (84%), and professional services (86%) lead the race, ahead of manufacturing (72%) and retail (64%), both of which are nonetheless climbing fast (+15 points in a year).

-> Inside companies, the contrast runs deep

Legal and procurement teams are advancing quickly, while marketing lags behind — a paradox, and a major weakness, given that these teams have to manage an entirely new digital interface, essential to the very existence of their brand in a digital world that has to be AI-compatible. And the managerial split is widening: 56% of top managers believe their company is moving "faster than expected," against only 28% of middle managers.

-> Small is fast

Mid-sized companies ($250 million–$2 billion) lead the race, combining agility with a governance frame, while large groups still struggle to industrialize. That is the whole challenge of scalability: "Companies are moving from exploration to disciplined growth. ROI is being measured, but globalization adds complexity." And yet the signals are clear: 74% of organizations are already measuring a positive ROI. The smaller ones move fast. The larger ones are still looking for a way to let the impact circulate.

The full study is here: https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/special-report/2025-ai-adoption-report/