ADAPT State of Australia Maturity & Performance Insights: AI with an ROI

AI responsibility and governance remain unsettled in most organisations. While many leaders expect the emergence of a “Chief AI Officer” role, the majority of accountability currently sits with CIOs and Chief Data Officers, depending on whether AI is viewed as a technology or data challenge. Questions remain about who owns AI’s benefits and risks, as well as how to manage human versus digital agents at scale. Survey findings show that 23% of organisations offer no formal training in AI, 38% provide only passive guidelines, while just 6% mandate training. Only 22% are actively embedding AI support through structured, value-adding programs. This lack of preparation highlights a critical gap given AI’s potential impact on decision-making and productivity.

The performance picture is mixed. While 61% of organisations see productivity as the top metric for evaluating AI, followed by cost savings and customer experience, most have yet to realise returns. Among CISOs, 76%…