From AI Pilot to Production

Lenovo's CIO Playbook 2025 shows 33 AI proofs of concept (PoCs) for 4 production launches in a supplementary graphic sourced to the IDC FERS Wave 4 Survey, 2024. The graphic implies about 12% conversion; the often-quoted 88% is the remainder of that ratio, not a universal or permanent failure rate for enterprise AI. Source: Lenovo, page 8.

McKinsey's report published on March 12, 2025 measures something different: 78% of respondents said their organizations used AI in at least one business function. That is an adoption measure, not a failure rate. The underlying survey ran in July 2024. Adoption, production conversion, and financial value require different definitions and denominators. Source: McKinsey.

This paper provides a planning framework for data readiness, governance, evaluation, and adoption. Use the checklist to define a production threshold, assign accountable owners, and evaluate results against your own users, data, and observation period.