11% of organizations in South Africa are fully prepared to deploy and leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered technologies, according to Cisco’s inaugural AI Readiness Index. This is in line with global trends, with 14% of respondents globally considering their organizations fully ready for AI.
Global Survey Measuring AI Adoption
The Index, which surveyed over 8,000 companies globally, was developed in response to the accelerating adoption of AI. It highlights companies’ growing preparedness to utilise the technology, while spotlighting gaps in key business pillars and infrastructures that could pose challenges for the future.
“AI readiness has quickly ascended to become a top business priority, no matter the size or sector. The pressure is being felt and no one wants to be left behind as we catapult into the future. At the same time, AI readiness is not a one-dimensional conversation.
“IT infrastructure, including networks, compute resource and cybersecurity need to be assessed, alongside strategy, data governance and company culture, so that leaders and employees are ready to explore the potential of AI,” said Smangele Nkosi General Manager at Cisco South Africa.
Spot Light on AI
The new research finds that while AI adoption has been slowly progressing for decades, recent advancements in generative AI, coupled with public availability, are driving more attention to the technology’s challenges, changes, and possibilities.
While 83% of respondents in South Africa believe AI will have a significant impact on their business operations, the use of this technology also raises new concerns surrounding data privacy and security. 77% of respondents admit data exists in silos across their organizations.
IT Infrastructure a Top Priority
98% respondents said the urgency to deploy AI technologies in their organization has increased in the past six months, with IT infrastructure and cybersecurity reported as the top priority areas for AI deployments.
“The race to AI Readiness is on, with organizations under intense pressure to shift from strategic planning to execution mode in order to capitalize on the transformative potential that AI represents,” said Liz Centoni, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Applications and Chief Strategy Officer, Cisco.