SUSE survey reveals gap between AI adoption and infrastructure readiness

A recent survey by SUSE conducted at the Bitport CIO conference reveals a significant gap between the adoption of artificial intelligence and the readiness of corporate infrastructure. While 34.1% of decision-makers are currently running AI solutions in pilot phases and an equal percentage have already deployed them in live environments, only 20.5% of respondents have identified AI/ML infrastructure preparation as part of their modernization plans.

Naveen Chhabra, a lead analyst at Forrester, noted that AI is moving beyond experimental technology for data teams and is becoming a complex challenge for infrastructure leaders. These leaders must now determine if their systems can reliably transition AI from pilot to production without losing control over costs, operational burdens, or security risks.

Supporting these findings, the Stanford HAI 2026 AI Index Report indicates that while 88% of organizations used AI in at least one business area in 2025, only between 3% and 10%—depending on organization size—reported full enterprise-level scaling. Experts suggest that on-premises platforms may play a role in providing the control necessary to bridge the gap between current AI usage and long-term infrastructure strategy.