The efficiency and value of AI Proof of Concept (PoCs) projects and pilots are the subject of heated debate, fuelled by reports claiming that only a handful make it to production. This has been interpreted as proof that generative AI is failing to scale, that stalled PoCs mean AI cannot deliver against investment drivers, and worse still, that we are heading for an AI bubble. However, Omdia's 2025 AI Market Maturity Survey* reveals a more nuanced, balanced prognosis for AI POCs, and what this means for AI.

Omdia's survey reveals enterprises are actively engaged with AI PoCs. Most are drawn to conservative to moderate experimentation, with 40% running 6-20 PoCs, while 18% operate 21-50 PoCs, showing broader AI commitment across multiple use cases. Only 4% of enterprises run over 100 PoCs, with the most intense activity at this level dominated by the largest companies in the survey. This is not surprising, as PoCs at this scale are resource-intensive and expensive, and even more so for pilots. Twenty-one percent of enterprises in the survey run fewer than 5 PoCs, which could reflect early-stage adoption or lack of resources. It is notable that 43% of firms in the survey with revenues below $100 million are running fewer than 5 PoCs.

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