The state of AI in 2025: Agents, innovation, and transformation
In the 2025 edition of the annual McKinsey Global Survey on AI, current trends driving real value from artificial intelligence are examined. This article is a joint effort by Alex Singla, Alexander Sukharevsky, Lareina Yee, Michael Chui, Bryce Hall, and Tara Balakrishnan, representing QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey.
Nearly three years after generative AI tools ushered in a new era, almost nine out of ten survey respondents report that their organizations regularly use AI. However, the pace of adoption varies.
Three years since the introduction of gen AI tools triggered a new era of artificial intelligence, nearly nine out of ten survey respondents say their organizations are regularly using AI—but the pace of progress remains uneven.
Although AI tools have become common, many organizations have not fully integrated them into their workflows and processes to achieve significant enterprise-level benefits.
The latest McKinsey Global Survey highlights a landscape marked by broader AI adoption—including the increasing use of agentic AI—alongside persistent challenges. For most organizations, moving from pilot projects to widespread impact is still underway.
Our survey indicates a larger share of respondents reporting AI use within their organizations, yet scaling remains limited.
The share of respondents saying their organizations are using AI in at least one business function has increased since our research last year: 88 percent report regular AI use in at least one business function, compared with 78 percent a year ago.
Despite growth in adoption, embedding AI deeply to unlock substantial value requires more progress.
Author's summary: The McKinsey 2025 survey shows widespread AI adoption, yet most organizations face challenges scaling and fully integrating AI to achieve transformative benefits.