This annual report offers insights for business leaders across architecture, engineering, construction (AEC), manufacturing, and media sectors. Key findings include:​
1. AI Adoption: From Hype to Strategic Implementation
- Cautious Optimism: While 69% of leaders believe AI will enhance their industry, this reflects a 12-point drop from 2024, indicating tempered enthusiasm as organizations grapple with implementation challenges. ​
- Investment Trends: Over two-thirds of leaders plan to increase AI investments, recognizing its potential despite concerns about industry destabilization, which 48% of respondents anticipate. ​
- Trust Decline: Confidence in AI has waned, with only 65% expressing trust in AI within their field, an 11-point decrease from the previous year. ​
2. Talent Shortages and the AI Skills Gap
- Hiring Priorities: AI proficiency has become paramount, with 46% of leaders identifying AI skills as a top hiring priority for the next three years, up 5 points from 2024. ​
- Workforce Challenges: A significant 58% of professionals report that a lack of skilled talent is a barrier to growth, a 15-point increase from the previous year. ​
- Training Limitations: Nearly half (48%) of organizations lack resources to design internal training programs, highlighting the need for strategic upskilling initiatives. ​
3. Digital Transformation Yields Tangible Benefits
- Performance Gains: Digitally mature companies are 30% more likely to experience above-average or exceptional performance, with significant improvements in innovation, productivity, and customer satisfaction. ​
- Investment Justification: Despite cost concerns, the long-term benefits of digital transformation—such as enhanced reputation and expanded services—underscore its strategic value. ​
4. Sustainability as a Strategic Imperative
- Revenue Opportunities: 72% of business leaders believe sustainability initiatives can generate more than 5% of annual revenue, emphasizing its role in business growth. ​
- Talent Attraction: Sustainability efforts are aiding talent acquisition and retention, with 75% of leaders at digitally mature companies reporting positive impacts. ​
- AI's Role: AI is increasingly utilized to drive sustainability, with 39% of companies leveraging AI for sustainable practices, up from 34% in 2024. ​
5. Sector-Specific Insights
- AEC Industry: Leaders in architecture, engineering, construction, and operations are focusing on cost control and talent acquisition, with 95% taking steps toward sustainability and 39% using AI to support these efforts
- Manufacturing Sector: Industrial machinery leads in AI adoption for sustainability, with 44% of organizations integrating AI from the design phase to embed sustainability into projects
- Media & Entertainment: Cost control and technology integration are top challenges, with 56% of leaders citing talent shortages as a growth barrier. ​
Connect with IMAGINiT to explore how your organization can harness AI, close the skills gap, and drive digital transformation. Our experts help you assess current capabilities, identify high-impact opportunities, and implement scalable solutions tailored to your AEC or manufacturing business.
Contact us to schedule a strategic consultation.
