Your AI is working. Is your business?

Across the market, leaders are deploying artificial intelligence with a clear sense of urgency. Yet, our latest research reveals a hard truth: while investment in new capabilities is accelerating, enterprise performance is not keeping pace. Only 14 percent of organizations surveyed consider themselves top performers.

This points to a critical execution gap. The challenge is no longer initiating change but orchestrating it. Many organizations appear to be simply layering new AI tools onto outdated, fragmented operating models. This approach can create localized productivity gains but can fail to generate enterprise-level value. It adds complexity without building true competitive advantage.

Getting to scale requires more than just new technology. It demands that leaders align priorities, integrate execution, and maintain control across an increasingly complex web of functions, technologies, and operating models.

This is enterprise orchestration. Instead of launching disconnected AI pilots, leading organizations are redesigning how work gets done. They are building integrated technology foundations, establishing enterprise-wide governance, and creating a unified system where value can compound rather than dissipate across siloed efforts.

Orchestrating all of this internally is a massive lift. It requires deep domain expertise, a clear strategic vision, and the capacity to manage complex technology ecosystems.

Our research shows that leading organizations understand this dynamic: top performers are nearly twice as likely to leverage managed services compared to other organizations (25 percent versus 14 percent).

A modern managed services provider is not a transactional vendor that simply runs a process. It is a strategic partner that helps you orchestrate it. They bring the experience to help you redesign workflows, embed risk and governance from the start, and align execution with your core business objectives.

In an AI-driven market, one of the biggest risks is not standing still; it is moving fast in too many different directions. The ability to direct activity, make deliberate trade-offs, and align every initiative to maximize enterprise value is the new, defining source of competitive advantage.

Driving lasting impact comes down to leadership. The organizations that win are likely to be the ones that master orchestration.

Curious how the top 14 percent are getting this right? Dive into the full findings from our research here: Transforming the Enterprise.

Learn more about KPMG Managed Services.