2025 was the year when AI ambition met operational reality.
Across industries, enterprises entered the year with strong expectations around AI-driven transformation. What followed instead was a period marked by budget pressure, project cancellations, stalled pilots, and a growing demand for clarity.
As we worked with organizations in this environment, certain patterns kept repeating. They were not tied to industry or company size, and they did not depend on specific tools. Instead, they reflected how AI initiatives were positioned, owned, and carried through once initial momentum met operational reality.
Looking ahead to 2026, these patterns feel worth naming, not as prescriptions, but as signals that consistently shaped outcomes.
