As generative AI moves from experimental hype to operational reality, navigating the balance between innovation and governance is becoming a real challenge for enterprises. It’s why my company, Pacific AI, in collaboration with Gradient Flow, set out to better understand the state of AI and responsible AI with our first AI Governance Survey. And the results highlight a concerning trend: While enthusiasm for AI is high, organizational readiness is lagging.
The data highlights significant disparities in governance maturity, especially between small firms and large enterprises, and underlines the urgent need for leadership to embed governance into the foundation of AI development. But to build safer, more resilient AI systems, we need to first understand the current governance gaps and how they trickle into AI development and use.
Cautious adoption, limited maturity
Despite the media buzz and strategic urgency surrounding generative AI, only 30% of organizations surveyed have moved beyond experimentation to deploy these systems in production. Just 13% manage multiple deployments, with large enterprises being five times more likely than small firms to do so. This measured approach underscores a broader trend: most companies are in exploration mode, seeking to understand where AI can drive value before committing to widespread rollout.
