IMD has released its 2025 AI Maturity Index, naming NVIDIA as the global leader in AI-driven business transformation. Microsoft and Alphabet followed in second and third place, respectively, in a ranking that evaluates how effectively the world’s top 300 companies are leveraging AI to reshape strategy, operations, and competitive advantage.
“The future belongs to companies that trust, govern, and scale AI—not just talk about it.”
The Index, developed by IMD’s TONOMUS Global Center for Digital and AI Transformation, assesses AI maturity across five dimensions: executive support, technology investment, operational integration, workforce development, and ethical governance.
- Tech companies lead the index, but financial sector occupies 32% of top 100 spots
- 2025 data show diverging applications of AI along 10 industries included in index
- More AI-mature companies demonstrate superior revenue performance, with YoY revenue growth averaging 6.79%, compared to -0.51% for less AI mature companies
- High AI maturity companies prioritize growth over profitability, valuing revenue expansion and market share gains over near-term profit optimization
“This year’s Index marks a pivotal moment in our research,” said Michael Wade, Professor of Strategy and Digital at IMD and Director of the TONOMUS Global Center. “The leaders are no longer just experimenting with AI, they’re scaling it across the enterprise.”
AI’s board impact
While technology firms dominate the top tier, the financial sector stands out with 32 companies in the top 100, underscoring AI’s broad impact. Healthcare, pharmaceuticals, automotive, and manufacturing also show strong adoption, with companies like Johnson & Johnson, Roche, Volkswagen, and Siemens applying AI to everything from surgery and drug discovery to predictive maintenance and autonomous systems.
Superior business performance
The Index reveals that AI maturity correlates with superior business performance. Top 100 companies achieved an average year-over-year revenue growth of 6.79%, compared to -0.51% for the bottom 100. Market capitalization growth also favored AI leaders, with a 3.97% Q4 increase versus 0.82% among laggards.
AI as a product versus a capability
A key insight from the report is the distinction between AI as a product versus a capability. In sectors like automotive, AI is embedded into physical systems, while in services and tech, it augments offerings and infrastructure—exemplified by Microsoft’s Copilot®, Amazon’s Nova™, and IBM’s watsonx®.
Governance approaches vary by region: European firms emphasize transparency and regulation, U.S. companies favor agile, principle-based models, and Asian leaders blend executive oversight with national compliance frameworks.
“2025 is the year AI moved from pilot to platform,” Wade added. “The future belongs to companies that trust, govern, and scale AI—not just talk about it.”
Find out more about the 2025 AI Maturity Index and download the related white paper AI strategies that are working.
