The State of AI in 2025: Agents, Innovation, and Transformation
In the 2025 edition of the McKinsey Global Survey on AI, current trends driving value from artificial intelligence are examined. This article is written by Alex Singla, Alexander Sukharevsky, Lareina Yee, and Michael Chui, with contributions from Bryce Hall and Tara Balakrishnan of QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey.
Three years after the emergence of generative AI tools, nearly 90% of surveyed organizations report regular AI use. However, progress varies widely across industries and companies. Although AI technologies have become common, many organizations have yet to fully integrate them into workflows to achieve significant enterprise benefits.
Survey Insights on AI Adoption
- The McKinsey Global Survey highlights an expanding use of AI, including more agentic AI applications.
- Despite growth in adoption, transitioning from pilot projects to scaled implementations remains a challenge.
- Most organizations report AI use in at least one business function, increasing from 78% last year to 88% in 2025.
"The latest McKinsey Global Survey reveals a landscape defined by both wider use—including growing proliferation of agentic AI—and stubborn growing pains, with the transition from pilots to scaled impact remaining a work in progress at most organizations."
Current Challenges and Outlook
The AI landscape is marked by significant adoption but modest scaling. Organizations struggle to embed AI deeply enough to unlock enterprise-wide advantages, signaling ongoing work to transform experimental efforts into robust operational gains.
Overall, AI adoption is increasing steadily, yet the journey toward full transformation and scaled impact continues.