Key takeaways
- AI readiness is multidimensional: strategy, data, platform, governance, talent and operations.
- Weakest-link dimensions, often data and governance, determine how fast you can scale.
- Use the checklist to sequence investments, not to delay starting.
How to use this checklist
Score each question 0 (no), 1 (partially) or 2 (yes). Low scores in any one dimension usually predict where AI initiatives will stall. For an instant version, use our free AI readiness score.
Strategy & value (1-5)
- Is there an executive sponsor for AI with budget authority?
- Are AI use cases prioritized by value and feasibility?
- Does each use case have a baseline KPI?
- Is there a funded 12-month roadmap?
- Are results reported to the executive team?
Data (6-12)
- Is priority data on a modern, scalable platform?
- Do critical data domains have named owners?
- Is data quality measured?
- Is lineage available for key datasets?
- Can unstructured content be retrieved with permissions enforced?
- Are data classification and privacy rules defined?
- Is there a process for approving data use in AI?
Platform & security (13-18)
- Is there an approved set of models and providers?
- Is there a central AI gateway with logging and access control?
- Are AI costs tracked per use case?
- Are prompt-injection and data-leakage risks assessed?
- Can AI systems integrate with core applications via APIs?
- Is there an evaluation and monitoring toolset?
Governance (19-24)
- Is there an AI policy, including acceptable use?
- Are use cases risk-tiered?
- Is there an inventory of AI systems?
- Are evaluation standards defined by risk tier?
- Is there an AI incident response process?
- Are third-party AI tools reviewed?
Talent & operations (25-30)
- Do you have AI engineering skills in-house or through partners?
- Are business teams trained to use AI tools?
- Is ownership of production AI systems assigned?
- Are SLAs defined for AI services?
- Is there a change management approach for AI-enabled processes?
- Are lessons from pilots captured and reused?
Frequently asked questions
What is AI readiness?
AI readiness is an organization's capacity to deliver measurable value from AI, spanning strategy, data, technology platforms, governance, skills and operations.
How do we improve AI readiness quickly?
Focus on the weakest dimension blocking your top use case, usually data access and governance, while running a well-designed pilot that builds reusable foundations.