KPMG AI Quarterly Pulse Survey: From agent experimentation to rapid scale and deployment

Discover insights into the future of AI and its significant impact on business operations. The future of AI is here, and it’s reshaping how businesses function.

About the survey

The KPMG AI Quarterly Pulse Survey provides a comprehensive snapshot of insights from 130 top-tier U.S.-based executives and business leaders, all from organizations boasting annual revenues of $1 billion or more. KPMG began conducting these quarterly surveys in January 2024 to monitor and evaluate changes in executive sentiment and business decision making, as AI rapidly evolves and expands in its impact on businesses and the economy more broadly. This most recent survey conducted was between May 27–June 12, 2025.

The latest survey reveals that AI agents are rapidly moving from experimentations to enterprise-scale deployment, with 33% of organizations already using them in production. As leaders anticipate major competitive shifts within two years, they’re prioritizing both growth and efficiency while actively evolving workforce strategies and refining ROI measurement approaches. 

Key findings: AI agent strategies are moving past the experimentation phase

The business landscape is on the brink of fundamental change, with 82% of leaders agreeing that their industry's competitive dynamics will look different in the next 24 months.

AI agent adoption has reached a critical inflection point. As of Q2 2025, 33% of organizations deployed at least some agents compared to just 11% in previous quarters.

AI is reshaping how work gets done. Nearly nine in ten leaders recognize that AI agents will necessitate fundamental organizational changes, with 87% acknowledging both the need to redefine performance metrics and upskill employees.

Trust and governance are key to scaling. Leaders’ focus on data privacy (69%), regulatory concerns (55%) and data quality (56%) are at their highest in three quarters.

Dive into our thinking:

AI Q2 2025 Pulse Survey: Key Findings

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Agent deployment takes shape: The move from idea to impact

Organizations are beginning to deploy AI agents at scale.

AI agents are swiftly moving into production, with momentum accelerating. Leaders not only view them as cost-cutting tools but also as drivers of growth and value creation. This rapid transformation intensifies pressure on trust, governance, data, leadership alignment, and workforce readiness. Early investors in these foundations are scaling confidently, positioning themselves to lead.

Steve Chase

Global Head & US Vice Chair – AI & Digital Innovation, KPMG

Beyond the bottom line: Rethinking ROI

AI success is now measured in impact, not just output—and governance plays a key role in proving returns.

Building AI you can trust: Scaling AI with confidence

As leaders grow more comfortable with autonomous technologies, human oversight is becoming a top priority—signaling a shift toward innovation with intention and accountability.

Explore previous quarterly AI pulse surveys

Welcome to our series of quarterly reports on Artificial Intelligence, where we explore the latest trends, advancements, and impacts shaping the world of AI.

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Steve Chase
Global Head & US Vice Chair – AI & Digital Innovation, KPMG LLP

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