Among C-suite Leaders, AI is top digital priority in path to operational resilience: Study

New Delhi, May 16 (FN Bureau) Nearly three-fourths (73 pc) of companies are prioritizing AI over all other digital investments and with the immediate focus on improving operational resilience in an unprecedented environment, according to a study by Accenture that surveys 1,700 executives across 15 industries and 12 countries including India. The report, Reinventing Enterprise Operations, found 90 pc of business leaders are applying AI to tackle aspects of operational resilience, which spans data-driven capabilities, such as finance (89 pc) and supply chain (88 pc), to experimentation with generative AI, according to media statement.

The findings assessed organizations across six measures of operational maturity: AI, data, processes, talent, collaboration and stakeholder experiences. While only a few (9 pc) companies achieved maturity on all fronts, those that did averaged 1.4X higher operating margins over peers, while driving 42 pc faster innovation, 34 pc better sustainability and 30 pc higher satisfaction scores. “All CEOs are under pressure to digitize faster, put more resilience in the business, and find new pathways to growth,” said Yusuf Tayob, group chief executive of Accenture Operations. “The right investments in technology while advancing talent, data and processes is what drives a new performance frontier.” With a talent strategy that mirrors data and digital maturity, enterprises averaged nearly three-times higher productivity when prioritizing training and specialized skills to address talent needs. This was further echoed by investments being made in new ways of working (cited by 94 pc) and the 90 pc of (COO, CIO, CHRO) respondents who plan to increase specialized and technical talent over the next three years.