Nearly 8 in 10 Companies Say Their Data Isn't Ready for AI, CompTIA Finds

Nearly eight in 10 organizations acknowledge room for improvement in their data practices, even as most push to integrate AI more deeply into their operations, according to new research from CompTIA. The finding points to a widening gap between how fast companies are moving to deploy AI and how prepared their underlying data foundations actually are, according to the trade association's inaugural "Corporate AI Adoption" report.

Fifty-nine percent of organizations now prioritize integrating AI into their existing technology environments and business processes, CompTIA found, signaling a shift in focus from expanding employee use of AI tools toward embedding the technology into core operations. But the report suggests that shift is running ahead of readiness: CompTIA said AI success increasingly depends less on tool adoption and more on integration, workforce readiness, governance and data management, areas where many organizations are still catching up.

"Organizations are discovering that buying AI tools is the easy part," said Seth Robinson, vice president of research at CompTIA. "Creating an organization capable of deploying AI securely, responsibly and effectively is a much bigger challenge. The next leaders in AI won't necessarily be the organizations spending the most on technology, but the ones investing in people, processes and data readiness."

Skills gaps compound the data problem

More than half of organizations facing skills challenges plan to create new training programs addressing AI, data management, cybersecurity and business process skills, according to CompTIA, pointing to workforce readiness as a second front where companies are racing to close gaps even as AI deployment accelerates. Specifically, 57% of organizations facing skills challenges plan to develop such programs, the survey found.

CompTIA also found that IT departments are not being sidelined as AI adoption spreads: 93% of organizations expect technology departments to maintain or increase their role in AI adoption, particularly in security, support, training and integration, according to the report.

"We're entering a phase where the biggest barrier to AI success isn't access to technology, it's the ability to build the skills, processes and governance needed to operationalize it," Robinson said. "Organizations that invest in workforce development and strong technology foundations will be best positioned to realize long-term business value."

CompTIA's "Corporate AI Adoption" study is based on a June 2026 survey of 1,027 business and technology professionals, according to the organization.