GenAI Implementation Up 30 Points but Only 20% Extend AI Strategies, CGI Finds
GIB•CGI's 2026 global research finds GenAI implementation up 30 percentage points over two years, with 62% of organizations applying AI to core processes and just 20% extending AI strategies across ecosystems. Seventy percent of executives report IT talent shortages and 45% say legacy systems significantly hinder AI scaling and execution capacity.
1. Research Scope and Methodology
CGI surveyed over 1,800 business and technology executives—primarily at the C-level—across commercial and government organizations to gauge AI adoption, digital engineering priorities and operating model agility. Key areas examined include data sovereignty, cloud strategies and shifts in the global economic and supply chain landscape.
2. AI Adoption vs. Enterprise Readiness
GenAI implementation climbed 30 percentage points in two years, with 62% of organizations now applying AI to core business and operational processes. However, only 40% have an enterprise AI strategy, just 20% extend it across partners and ecosystems, and only 51% quantify AI outcomes, highlighting a readiness gap.
3. Talent Shortages and Legacy System Challenges
Seventy percent of executives report difficulty recruiting IT talent, and 52% say talent shortages materially impact program execution. Meanwhile, 45% identify legacy systems as a major constraint on data and AI strategies, underscoring the need for modernized foundations.
4. Strategic Shift to Managed Services
Facing cost pressures and execution bottlenecks, C-level leaders are increasingly turning to selective managed services models to bolster delivery capacity. This shift aims to align technology, talent and processes to support scalable, AI-enabled transformation and measurable business outcomes.
