Many companies are still working out how to use AI in a steady and practical way, but a small group is already pulling ahead. New research from NTT DATA outlines a playbook that shows how these “AI leaders” set themselves apart through strong plans, firm decisions, and a disciplined approach to building and using AI across their organisations.
The findings come from a survey of 2,567 senior executives in 35 countries and 15 industries. Only 15% of the organisations met the bar to be considered AI leaders. These companies share a few traits: clear direction on where AI fits into their business, a solid operating model, and consistent follow-through. They also reported higher revenue growth and stronger profit margins than everyone else in the study.
Yutaka Sasaki, President and CEO of NTT DATA Group, put it simply: “AI accountability now belongs in the boardroom and demands an enterprise-wide agenda. Our research shows that a small group of AI leaders already are using AI to differentiate, grow and reinvent how humans and machines create value together.”
The playbook behind strong AI plans
One of the clearest differences between leaders and the rest is how they approach strategy. For these companies, AI is not a side project or a tool bolted onto existing work. They treat it as a core driver of growth and adjust their plans to match that view.
A major advantage for these leaders is how closely they connect AI with their business goals. This alignment helps them move faster and stay focused, which in turn delivers stronger financial outcomes. They also zero in on a few high-value areas of the business rather than spreading resources too thin. By redesigning entire workflows around AI, they unlock more value than if they had only made small improvements in scattered parts of the organisation.
The report describes this as a kind of flywheel: early investments bring early wins, which then encourage more investment. Over time, this cycle becomes self-reinforcing. Leaders also rebuild important applications with AI embedded inside them, instead of adding basic AI features on top of old systems. This approach helps them see deeper impact and prepares the organisation for long-term gains.
How leaders put their plans to work
A good plan only works when backed by strong execution. AI leaders stand out through the foundations they build, the way they support their people, and how they drive adoption across the entire organisation.
These companies invest in secure and scalable systems that can support large AI workloads. In some cases, they shift or localise their infrastructure to support private or sovereign AI needs. They also work to remove system bottlenecks so teams can move without roadblocks.
Rather than using AI as a replacement for workers, leaders use it to help experienced employees do higher-value work. This “expert-first” approach allows teams to use their judgment while letting AI handle complex or time-consuming tasks.
AI leaders also focus on adoption as a long-term change effort. They treat it as a company-wide shift, supported by clear communication and structured change management. This helps reduce pushback and encourages steady use of AI at all levels.
Governance is another major difference. Leading organisations centralise their AI oversight, give clear responsibility to senior roles such as Chief AI Officers, and build processes that help balance innovation with risk. These systems allow them to scale AI more confidently.
Partnerships also play a major role. Top companies often bring in outside experts and are open to arrangements that tie outcomes to shared success. This helps them move faster while keeping their goals in view.
Abhijit Dubey, CEO and CAIO of NTT DATA, Inc., summarised the path forward: “Once AI and business strategies are aligned, the single most effective move is to pick one or two domains that deliver disproportionate value and redesign them end-to-end with AI. Supporting this focused, end-to-end approach with strong governance, modern infrastructure and trusted partners is how today’s AI leaders are turning pilots into profit and pulling ahead of the market.”
(Photo by Igor Omilaev)
See also: OpenAI: Enterprise users swap AI pilots for deep integrations
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