AI use is now ubiquitous across major global companies, so to find an edge, it may be smart to look at what the winners are doing.

The Forbes Research 2025 AI Survey found that companies with 10% or more annual revenue growth share five traits that set them apart from the pack.

  • High-Level Collaboration: Their C-suites are more likely to work collaboratively to set an AI strategy. (42% completely agree vs 37% overall)
  • Success Measurement: More of them report that their KPIs and metrics for tracking AI-related goals are extremely effective. (31% vs 25%)
  • Valuable Predictions: Their CEOs have higher rates of using algorithmic forecasting to anticipate market shifts and inform proactive decision-making. (26% vs 15%)
  • Competitive Intelligence: A greater share of their CEOs use AI to analyze competitors' activities to inform their strategies. (33% vs 20%)
  • Operational Efficiency: Their CEOs demonstrate stronger adoption of algorithms to streamline internal processes and improve efficiency. (33% vs 24%)

These higher-growth companies are bullish about their future success, with 62% expecting significant or substantial ROI from their AI investments over the next two years, compared to under half (49%) overall.

Regional And Industry Variations Emerge

The survey polled 1,075 C-suite leaders from companies globally with annual revenue of more than $1 billion in August and September. It revealed divergences between regions and industries in enterprise-wide AI adoption and strategy.

In North America, 69% of respondents said they are using AI across the enterprise, compared with 49% in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, 33% in Latin America and 32% in the Asia Pacific region.

The industry leaders in widespread AI adoption are technology (76%) and automotive (73%), opening up a significant gap over the two laggards, energy and manufacturing (both 42%).

And, when it comes to addressing AI skills gaps in their organizations, one in five chief human resources officers in Latin America said they’re exploring mergers and acquisitions, compared with just 9% in North America.