Artificial intelligence (AI) has moved beyond the experimentation phase in India, with every surveyed enterprise now pursuing AI initiatives and most planning to increase investments, according to Dun & Bradstreet’s latest AI Momentum Survey.
The survey highlights a rapidly maturing AI ecosystem where businesses are beginning to realise tangible returns from AI deployments, even as challenges around enterprise data quality continue to hinder large-scale implementation.
AI adoption becomes universal
According to the survey, 100% of the participating Indian organisations have AI-related projects underway.
Among them, 44% are in the planning or pilot stage, while 30% are scaling AI applications into production. Another 19% have operationalised AI across multiple core business processes, and 7% have already begun deploying agentic AI workflows, signalling the emergence of more autonomous AI applications in Indian enterprises.
Investment momentum remains strong
Businesses are also committing larger budgets to AI. The survey found that 56% of organisations expect a moderate increase in AI investments, while 13% anticipate a significant rise. The remaining 31% expect spending to remain unchanged, indicating sustained commitment to AI initiatives. Notably, none of the respondents expect AI investments to decline.
ROI increasingly visible
The report suggests AI is beginning to deliver measurable business value. Nearly 73% of surveyed organisations said they are already seeing returns from their AI investments. Half of the respondents reported measurable gains in specific business functions or pilot projects, while 23% said AI has generated broad or strong returns across multiple initiatives.
However, the survey indicates that consistent enterprise-wide returns remain a work in progress.
Data readiness remains a key hurdle
Despite widespread AI adoption, enterprise data infrastructure continues to lag.
Only 4% of organisations said their enterprise data is fully prepared to support AI deployment at scale. A majority (58%) described their data as only partially ready, while 30% said it was mostly ready.
The findings highlight a significant gap between having sufficient data for pilot projects and possessing the robust, governed data foundation needed to scale AI consistently across an organisation.
Focus shifts to enterprise-scale AI
Dun & Bradstreet, Executive Vice President, Global Business Operations & Transformation and Managing Director & CEO, India & Taiwan, Julian Prower, said Indian businesses are rapidly transitioning from AI experimentation to enterprise adoption, with growing evidence of measurable business value.
He noted that as organisations expand AI across multiple business functions, the quality and reliability of enterprise data will become increasingly critical in determining outcomes. Trusted business data and strong governance, he said, will play a vital role in helping companies convert AI investments into sustainable growth and long-term competitive advantage.
The Q3 AI Momentum Survey also reflects a broader global trend, with organisations increasingly shifting their focus from experimenting with AI to scaling it across enterprise operations. Dun & Bradstreet said future success will depend not only on continued investment but also on data readiness, governance frameworks and the ability to operationalise AI effectively across business functions.