Organizations lack clear AI accountability, KPMG survey finds

The KPMG report exposes a critical disconnect in how organizations are approaching AI adoption. Wharton professor Eric Bradlow frames the core problem: while technology itself is advancing rapidly, "organizations still don't know how to incorporate AI in a holistic way." The real constraint, he argues, is organizational change and ensuring humans remain meaningfully involved in decisions, not the AI models themselves.

This gap between aspirational ownership and operational accountability has practical consequences. When 75% of CEOs claim AI as a strategic priority but fewer than one in four organizations have named an executive who is on the hook when an AI decision goes wrong, it signals that AI remains largely experimental. The data bear this out: companies without clear accountability are far less confident they can future-proof their strategy. For business leaders, the implication is clear: investing in technology without investing equally in governance structures, human-in-the-loop processes, and skills development leaves AI initiatives vulnerable to remaining pilot projects rather than transforming how the business grows.