Harvard Business Review Analytic Services Study Finds Gap Between AI Ambition and Readiness

A new study from Harvard Business Review Analytic Services, announced in a press release by Hyland, reveals that business ambition for AI is advancing faster than organizational readiness. The report, titled Bridging the Readiness Gap to the Agentic Enterprise, found that while 94 percent of respondents recognize the need for well-connected data, processes, and applications, only 27 percent say these elements are currently well connected in their organizations.

The research highlights that 65 percent of organizations consider their structured data partially or fully ready for AI use, but only 39 percent say the same about unstructured data such as emails, PDFs, images, and videos. These unstructured sources make up a large share of the information companies use daily. The report identifies data silos, security and privacy issues, inconsistent data formats, and insufficient governance as the main obstacles to AI adoption.

According to the study, fewer than half of organizations currently achieve expected outcomes from AI projects. Only 12 percent have AI integrated directly into workflows, while 39 percent rely on separate tools. The report recommends that companies focus on improving data readiness, modernizing content platforms, and embedding AI into operational workflows rather than using isolated tools.

Hyland CEO Jitesh S. Ghai stated that the challenge is not access to models but readiness to operationalize AI in a governed and contextual way. The report concludes that aligning leadership and IT around shared governance and measuring success through adoption, quality, and business results are key steps toward closing the AI readiness gap.