The International Technology Forum has released a comprehensive 2025 report showing that AI adoption has reached its fastest rate in history, with businesses across all industries shifting to automation-first strategies.
According to the study, 78% of companies integrated at least one AI-powered tool over the past 12 months, compared to only 45% in 2022. The shift is driven by the growing need for cost optimization, efficiency, and real-time decision-making.
Key insights from the report:
- AI-driven workflow automation is the fastest-growing segment, projected to reach a global market value of $187B by 2027.
- Mid-market companies (200–1,000 employees) show the highest adoption rate, reducing operational costs by an average of 17%.
- 62% of respondents plan to replace legacy CRM and ERP systems with AI-optimized platforms over the next 3 years.
Industry trends
Sectors leading the transition include:
- Finance, using AI for fraud detection and predictive modeling
- Retail, optimizing inventory and personalization
- Telecom, automating customer support and provisioning
- Logistics, improving routing and forecasting
Expert commentary
Dr. Elena North, Chief Analyst at ITF, states:
“AI is no longer a competitive advantage — it’s a necessity. Companies that delay automation risk losing operational efficiency and data visibility.”
With AI models becoming more accessible and cloud infrastructures rapidly expanding, experts expect automation to handle up to 40–45% of all routine business operations by 2028.