Enterprise leaders are accelerating artificial intelligence adoption, but many acknowledge they are less confident in their AI strategies than they publicly portray. A new survey from KUNGFU.AI and Wakefield Research reveals that while organizations continue to invest heavily in AI transformation, executives remain concerned about governance, return on investment (ROI), execution challenges, and long-term business disruption.
The survey, conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of KUNGFU.AI, highlights the growing pressure executives face as AI shifts from experimentation to enterprise-wide implementation. Despite widespread AI adoption, nearly three-quarters of respondents admitted they had projected greater confidence in their organization's AI strategy than they genuinely felt.
According to the findings, virtually every organization surveyed has revised or rebuilt its AI strategy over the past two years, reflecting the rapidly evolving nature of enterprise AI initiatives.
“AI is moving much faster than most leaders are comfortable navigating. Our data shows that a significant majority of C-suite executives have publicly projected more confidence in their AI strategy than they privately felt, which tells you how complex a moment we are in,” said Stephen Straus, co-founder and CEO, KUNGFU.AI.
The research indicates that enterprise AI has entered a more operational phase, with organizations placing greater emphasis on sustainable implementation rather than experimentation.
Among the key findings:
These findings suggest that many organizations are still refining their long-term AI roadmaps as technologies and market expectations continue to evolve.
The survey also reveals increasing attention toward AI governance, ethics, and risk management. While organizations are under pressure to deploy AI quickly, many acknowledge that speed has sometimes come at the expense of quality assurance.
Nearly four out of five executives reported that testing or quality assurance processes had been shortened or overlooked during AI implementation. At the same time, 88% said governance, ethical considerations, or risk concerns had caused their organizations to delay or halt AI projects despite their financial potential.
The findings indicate that responsible AI deployment has become a strategic priority alongside innovation and operational efficiency.
Rather than concentrating solely on AI use cases, executives reported greater interest in topics such as competitive strategy, governance, return on investment, and enterprise transformation.
Nearly all respondents agreed that strong ethical AI practices will become an important long-term competitive differentiator as organizations continue scaling AI across business operations.
“AI is the biggest technological shift of our lifetimes, and I have a lot of empathy for all the leaders who are navigating it in real time. They were all at the top of their game, and then the landscape shifted. What this data makes clear is that while every leader is charting a different course, they are all feeling similar pressures. I believe that navigating this moment calls for a specific kind of leadership, one grounded in curiosity, transparency, and the vulnerability to say the direction forward is still coming into focus,” continued Straus. “The leaders who come out ahead won’t be the ones who had all the answers, or say they do. They’ll be the ones willing to lead without them.”
The survey underscores how enterprise AI adoption has matured beyond proof-of-concept initiatives. As organizations continue investing in artificial intelligence, leadership teams are increasingly balancing innovation with governance, ethical practices, and measurable business outcomes to build long-term competitive advantage.
The KUNGFU.AI survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 300 U.S. C-level executives at companies with a minimum annual revenue of $500 million, between April 30 and May 12, 2026, using an email invitation and online survey.
KUNGFU.AI is a management consulting and engineering firm focused exclusively on artificial intelligence. The company builds and operationalizes AI systems for the most ambitious enterprise clients, combining full-stack engineering teams with embedded AI strategists to deliver production-ready solutions. Founded in 2017, KUNGFU.AI works with organizations to build AI strategies to change the basis of competition in their industries and deliver measurable and significant business value.
Wakefield Research is a leading, independent provider of quantitative, qualitative, and hybrid market research for thought leadership and strategic insights. Wakefield Research is a partner to the world’s leading brands and agencies, including 50 of the Fortune 100. We conduct research in nearly 100 countries and our surveys appear regularly in top-tier media. Learn more at www.wakefieldresearch.com.
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