The state of AI in 2025: Agents, innovation, and transformation

The State of AI in 2025: Agents, Innovation, and Transformation

In 2025, the annual McKinsey Global Survey on Artificial Intelligence highlights the major trends shaping how AI delivers tangible value across industries. The study reflects insights from Alex Singla, Alexander Sukharevsky, Lareina Yee, and Michael Chui, along with contributions from Bryce Hall and Tara Balakrishnan of QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey.

Three years after the debut of generative AI tools that opened a new era for artificial intelligence, almost nine out of ten survey participants report that their organizations actively use AI technologies. However, progress is uneven, as many companies still struggle to integrate these tools deeply into daily operations to unlock enterprise-level impact.

Survey Overview

The latest McKinsey Global Survey describes a field shaped by two opposing forces: widespread adoption of AI, including an increase in agentic AI applications, and continuing challenges in scaling solutions from experimental pilots to transformative implementation.

“Eighty-eight percent of respondents say their organizations use AI regularly in at least one business function, compared with seventy-eight percent a year ago.”

This data suggests that AI adoption continues to expand, even as organizations work to move from experimentation toward sustainable, scaled results.

Key Takeaways

AI adoption has grown significantly year over year.
Agentic AI is becoming a stronger presence across industries.
Organizations still face hurdles transitioning from pilot projects to large-scale transformation.

Author’s Summary

AI adoption continues to surge in 2025, yet many organizations remain in transition between experimentation and true large-scale integration.

McKinsey & Company — 2025-11-05