AI Investment – Indian Companies Expand AI Spending Despite Data Readiness Gap
AI Investment –Indian companies are rapidly expanding their use of artificial intelligence, with most organisations already seeing tangible business benefits. However, a new industry report highlights that limited data preparedness remains a major obstacle to achieving large-scale AI deployment across enterprises.
AI Adoption Gains Momentum Across Indian Enterprises
Indian businesses are moving beyond the experimental stage of artificial intelligence and integrating the technology into day-to-day operations at a faster pace than before, according to a report released by Dun & Bradstreet on Tuesday. Every organisation surveyed confirmed that it is currently working on at least one AI initiative, underlining the technology’s growing importance in corporate strategy.
The report found that 69 per cent of participating companies intend to increase their investments in artificial intelligence, while 73 per cent have already recorded measurable outcomes from their AI-driven projects. These findings indicate that organisations are increasingly viewing AI as a practical business tool rather than a future-focused experiment.
Different Stages of AI Deployment
The pace of implementation differs from one organisation to another. Around 44 per cent of businesses remain in the planning or pilot phase, testing AI applications before wider adoption. Another 30 per cent have already introduced AI into production environments, allowing the technology to support regular business functions.
Meanwhile, 19 per cent of respondents said AI has been integrated into multiple core business processes, demonstrating a more advanced level of adoption. An additional 7 per cent reported deploying agentic AI workflows, reflecting early adoption of more autonomous AI systems capable of carrying out complex tasks with minimal human intervention.
Data Preparedness Continues to Challenge Growth
Although AI adoption is advancing, enterprise data quality continues to be the biggest hurdle. The report revealed that only 4 per cent of surveyed organisations believe their data infrastructure is fully prepared to support AI deployment at scale.
A majority of businesses acknowledged that improvements are still needed. About 58 per cent described their enterprise data as only partially prepared, while 30 per cent considered it mostly ready. These findings suggest that while many organisations have sufficient data to launch AI projects, relatively few possess the robust and well-managed data foundations required to consistently deliver AI-driven value across the entire enterprise.
Industry Leaders See Shift Toward Enterprise-Wide AI
Julian Prower, Executive Vice President, Global Business Operations & Transformation and Managing Director & CEO for India and Taiwan at Dun & Bradstreet, said Indian companies are progressing from AI experimentation to broader enterprise adoption. He noted that organisations are increasingly demonstrating measurable business value and positive returns from their AI investments.
The report also observed that enterprise AI is entering a more mature phase. While businesses are becoming more successful in generating value from AI initiatives, scaling those benefits consistently across multiple departments remains a significant challenge.
Investment Plans Reflect Long-Term Confidence
The survey indicates that confidence in artificial intelligence remains strong among Indian enterprises. More than half of respondents, or 56 per cent, expect a moderate increase in AI spending over the coming period. Another 13 per cent anticipate a substantial rise in investment, reflecting growing confidence in the technology’s long-term business potential.
At the same time, 31 per cent of organisations plan to maintain their current level of AI expenditure, signalling continued commitment rather than reduced interest. Notably, none of the surveyed businesses expect to decrease AI investments.
The report also highlighted that nearly half of the organisations have achieved measurable returns from AI in specific business areas, while 23 per cent reported broad and significant returns across multiple AI projects. These results suggest that although many companies are still strengthening their data capabilities, artificial intelligence is steadily becoming a key driver of operational efficiency and business growth in India