Where does your organization really stand on AI?

Most companies can’t answer this simple question: "Where do we actually stand on AI adoption?"

They know they’re "doing something with AI." They have a couple of pilots, and a lot of Slack chatter. But they can't tell you if they’re ahead, behind, or just stuck.

After working with hundreds of companies at Make - and leading our own AI enablement program - we’ve realized that AI adoption isn’t a mystery. It’s a predictable four-stage journey.

The surprising part of it is that many leaders think they are stages further ahead than they actually are.

The four stages of the AI journey

Organizations embarking on AI transformation typically progress through four distinct stages, each with its own challenges and opportunities.

Build: The Wild West

In the initial stage, AI adoption resembles the Wild West - characterized by experimentation without clear direction. Individuals across the organization are getting themselves familiar with AI tools and trying to find the relevant use cases, but there's no coordinated strategy or designated owner overseeing these efforts. The key to moving beyond this chaos is introducing structure. Companies need to appoint an AI owner, secure executive sponsorship, and establish clear guidelines around acceptable use. This foundation transforms scattered experiments into purposeful exploration.

Accelerate: The scaling gap

Once structure is in place, organizations enter the acceleration phase, where they face a new challenge:while pilot projects have demonstrated value, adoption remains uneven across the organization. The technology has proven itself as a "cool tool," but hasn't yet become a company-wide habit. Bridging this gap requires formalization through comprehensive literacy training and, critically, empowering middle managers. These managers serve as the vital link between strategy and execution - if they don't buy in, frontline employees won't either.

Scale: The product mindset

As AI becomes embedded across every department, organizations must shift their thinking from projects to products. At this stage, companies move beyond simple prompts to develop cross-functional AI products and shared automation libraries. Success requires building robust systems, including universal search capabilities and internal knowledge hubs. Organizations should also enable "citizen developers" - empowering employees throughout the company to build their own AI-powered workflows using platforms like Make and other automation tools, without relying solely on IT teams. These no-code and low-code solutions democratize AI implementation, allowing domain experts to create sophisticated automations that connect AI capabilities with existing business systems.

Lead: The agentic era

The final stage represents a transformation where AI becomes embedded in core operations. Autonomous agents evolve from mere tools into entities that perform their roles alongside human employees. At this level, organizations aren't simply optimizing individual tasks - they're redesigning work itself. Advanced automation platforms enable complex, multi-step workflows where AI agents coordinate across systems, make decisions, and trigger actions autonomously. This profound shift demands new operating models and specialized training in agent management, preparing the workforce to collaborate with AI systems as true partners in driving business outcomes.

Why do companies get stuck?

• Between Build & Accelerate: They run pilots but never formalize ownership. Adoption stalls.

• Between Accelerate & Scale: They have the tools but haven't equipped middle management to lead the change.

• Between Scale & Lead: They try to fit autonomous agents into old, rigid human structures.

Where are you, really?

Ask yourself: What is our biggest blocker?

• "We don't have clear ownership" → You're in BUILD.

• "We can't get company-wide adoption" → You're in ACCELERATE.

• "We need better data and knowledge management" → You're in SCALE.

• "We're redesigning how work gets done" → You're in LEAD.

The path forward

At Make, we’ve documented this entire journey - from Build to Lead - into a comprehensive AI Playbook. We learned these lessons the hard way so you don’t have to.

The Make AI Playbook is an interactive microsite designed to help organizations navigate their AI journey through strategic guidance, proven use cases, and clear frameworks supported by educational materials from Make Academy and webinars. It provides immediate momentum by tailoring a roadmap to the specific organizational needs.

We know the companies that move fastest aren't the ones with the biggest budgets; they’re the ones who know exactly which stage they are in and focus ruthlessly on the one thing that unlocks the next level.

Check out the Make AI Playbook today and start realising the full potential of AI in your business.