TechCapsules

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

NetApp has released its 2025 AI Space Race report, a comprehensive global research initiative that benchmarks AI readiness across executive leadership and IT teams. The report is based on feedback from 800 executives, evenly split between CEOs and IT leaders, from the United States, United Kingdom, China, and India. The research captures a pivotal moment in the adoption of enterprise AI, as generative AI deployments accelerate within the enterprise. The gap between aspiration and execution is becoming increasingly consequential, and NetApp's report sheds light on where organizations stand, where internal misalignments persist, and what infrastructure foundations matter most as enterprises transition from pilot projects to production AI systems. A central insight from the survey is that AI success hinges less on vision and more on operational readiness. Across geographies, most organizations, 88%, report themselves as "mostly or fully ready" for AI, with 81% piloting or scaling AI initiatives. Despite this apparent momentum, the research identified critical gaps between CEO expectations and IT capabilities that threaten to derail these efforts. The study indicates that many organizations lack deep investments in foundational infrastructure, such as secure, scalable data platforms. This can undermine their ability to scale from proof-of-concept to full production deployments effectively. According to the report, investing in data infrastructure is crucial for AI success, as it provides the necessary foundation for scaling AI initiatives. When executives were asked which region will lead AI innovation over the next five years, 43% pointed to the United States as the likely winner. Nearly two-thirds of American respondents backed their own country, while Chinese executives showed a similar home-country bias, suggesting that these perceptions may be influenced by nationalistic confidence. Unsurprisingly, China emerges as America's primary challenger for AI dominance, with 43% of Chinese respondents predicting their nation will lead in AI development. The survey highlights the intense rivalry between the two nations, with both sides confident in their ability to lead the AI revolution. However, the report also emphasizes the importance of infrastructure readiness in Achieving AI success, regardless of national boundaries.