Original research from 230 business and HR leaders on AI maturity, governance, and the role of HR in strategy. Key findings below, full analysis in the report.
Instant access. The full 30-page PDF plus an executive briefing slide.
The headline numbers from the 2026 report. Full analysis, segmentation, and the action plan for each finding are in the PDF.
Where the 230 surveyed organizations sit on the adoption curve.
Informal, ad-hoc AI use. No policy, no governance.
Pilot projects underway. Policy in draft.
AI embedded in specific workflows. Basic governance.
AI in business strategy. HR at the table. Outcomes tracked.
AI core to operations, culture, and talent decisions.
The six-pillar model behind the maturity scoring in this report. Originated by Helios HR.
A short, written policy revised quarterly.
Who uses what, where the risk sits, what changed.
Continuous learning paths by role, not one-time workshops.
Permission to experiment, with clear expectations.
One business metric per AI initiative.
What roles change, what roles emerge.
30 pages of segmentation, action steps, and the integrated 4%'s playbook. Free.
How the survey was conducted.
230
Jan 14 – Feb 28, 2026
100 – 2,000 employees
14 sectors
Mid-market business and HR leaders based in the United States, surveyed online between January and February 2026. The instrument covered 21 questions across AI use, policy, governance, training, HR involvement, and business outcomes.
Maturity scoring is based on the six pillars of the People-First AI Framework, summed and mapped to one of five stages. Full methodology, including question wording and qualitative coding protocol, appears in the appendix of the report.
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