The multi-year AI advantage

Despite short-term uncertainty, confidence in AI’s transformative potential remains high. More than half of organizations are committing to sustained investment, with many planning over a five-year horizon – reflecting the belief that consistent, long-term investment in AI builds cumulative benefits that late adopters cannot replicate.  

The latest research brief from the Capgemini Research Institute, The multi-year AI advantage: Building the enterprise of tomorrow, explores how businesses are accelerating AI adoption, balancing near-term priorities with long-term vision, and building the foundations for enterprise-wide intelligence. Key findings, based on a global survey of over 1,500 leaders across 15 countries, include:  

• AI budgets are rising: Organizations expect to allocate 5% of annual business budgets to AI by 2026, up from 3% in 2025. Leaders recognize that failing to scale AI quickly could mean missed opportunities and lost strategic advantage.
• AI is now everywhere: More than half of organizations are prioritizing AI investments in sales, marketing, and IT operations. Gen AI has crossed the threshold from pilots to scaled use, with 38% already operationalizing use cases. Agentic AI and edge AI are gaining traction, signaling a broader spectrum of adoption.
• Enterprise-wide AI adoption is a new discipline, and the playbook is still evolving: Strong executive sponsorship (highlighted by 67% of surveyed organizations), external partnerships (59%), governance and ethical frameworks (53%), and scalable data infrastructure (51%) are viewed as critical enablers for moving from pilots to enterprise-wide deployment.
• Human–AI collaboration is key: AI is amplifying – not replacing – human capabilities. 66% of organizations report measurable improvements in productivity and decision quality through human–AI collaboration. Six in 10 are redefining skillsets and investing in workforce upskilling.
• Sovereignty and trust are strategic priorities: Data and AI sovereignty are top concerns, with 54% prioritizing data control. Organizations are balancing build-versus-buy strategies to combine speed with differentiation.  

Who should read this report? The multi-year AI advantage: Building the enterprise of tomorrow is essential for C-suite leaders, AI strategists, technology heads, and business transformation executives seeking to scale AI responsibly and unlock long-term value. Advance your AI journey with actionable recommendations:   

• Strengthen AI essentials to unlock enterprise-wide intelligence
• Advance AI readiness through governance, alignment, and strategic guardrails
• Build human–AI chemistry as a core organizational capability
• Balance “transform now” and “build tomorrow” to deliver efficiency today while preparing for reinvention.