Take this survey and benchmark your AI journey

Artificial intelligence has swiftly transitioned from an emerging technology to a critical business focus, but the extent of South African companies' progress on their AI journeys remains unclear. ITWeb, in collaboration with First Distribution and AWS, is conducting a survey to determine where local businesses currently stand, the obstacles they face, and how they are investing as they transition from AI experimentation to delivering tangible business value.

Beyond merely measuring AI adoption, the objective is to shed light on the opportunities and challenges confronting South African organizations. While AI has progressed from experimentation to a strategic priority, there is a scarcity of local data to guide partners in understanding the true state of AI adoption in South Africa.

The survey aims to furnish First Distribution partners with valuable insights to engage their clients more effectively and identify where organizations may require assistance, guidance, and expertise. Although interest in AI is widespread across industries, many organizations are now grappling with the more significant challenges associated with implementation and scaling.

Moving beyond pilot projects and proof-of-concepts demands more than just access to AI technology; businesses need robust data foundations, requisite skills, governance frameworks, and implementation capabilities. First Distribution perceives South Africa as situated at an exciting yet transformative juncture of AI adoption. While there is robust interest in AI across industries and numerous organizations are actively investigating use cases and investing in capabilities, for many businesses, the primary focus remains on transitioning from experimentation and pilots to delivering measurable business outcomes at scale.

The survey will evaluate AI maturity across key domains, including strategy, data readiness, skills, implementation, governance, and ROI measurement. This comprehensive assessment will enable respondents to benchmark their position against the broader South African market and establish a baseline against which future progress can be measured.

First Distribution anticipates that the research will reveal a potential gap between AI ambitions and organizational maturity. While many companies are enthusiastic about AI and recognize its strategic significance, they may still be in the nascent stages of constructing the necessary foundations for sustained success. Furthermore, the research will explore where organizations perceive the greatest need for external support, encompassing cloud services, data management, governance, security, analytics, and skills development.

The findings will be compiled into a comprehensive State of AI in South Africa report, offering insight into customer priorities, challenges, and opportunities. The results will also serve as the foundation for benchmarking tools, educational content, partner enablement initiatives, and broader industry discussions regarding responsible AI adoption.

Ultimately, the research aims to provide practical guidance on what businesses must do to advance. By analyzing the survey outcomes, partners should be able to pinpoint where customers require support, tailor their services accordingly, and cultivate stronger AI practices that yield measurable business outcomes. South African businesses are encouraged to participate in the survey to contribute to a clearer understanding of the country's AI maturity and adoption. The survey is brief, and participants stand a chance to win a R3 000 Takealot voucher.