FTSE AIM-100 firms lag on AI, with only 1% truly ready

Braidr has found that only 1% of FTSE AIM-100 businesses have embedded artificial intelligence into core business processes, with most companies still at an early stage of adoption.

The consultancy's analysis reported that 85% of AIM-100 companies sit at the earliest stages of AI adoption. It placed the median AI maturity score across the index at 28 out of 100, which it said reflects a reliance on pilots and limited proof-of-concept work rather than scaled use.

Braidr assessed AIM-100 companies using its AI.ME system. It looked for signals across AI strategy, data and insights, content, products and services, and people. The findings draw on public sources such as company reports, announcements, social media channels and hiring patterns.

Strategy gap

The study found limited evidence of formal planning at board level. It said 17% of AIM companies show signs of having a formal AI strategy, and 29% show no public evidence of AI activity in annual reports, investor presentations or corporate disclosures.

Braidr said weak governance and fragmented systems constrain progress even where companies have invested in data platforms. It reported that many organisations do not trust their own data because of governance gaps, inconsistent standards and siloed systems.

"The AI hype is over. 2026 is the year of real AI adoption. This report shows that while businesses understand the importance of AI, most are still stuck at the starting line. Companies know data is the key, yet poor governance, siloed systems and data-quality issues stall progress across the board. You cannot build intelligent organisations on untrusted data, and yet this is exactly the reality many businesses find themselves confronting.

"The divide is no longer about access to technology - it's about the leadership conviction needed to establish the right foundations. The companies that take deliberate, strategic action now will be the ones that thrive. Those who delay will see the competitive gap widen rapidly beyond recovery"," said Dora Mouldovan, Founder & Chief AI Officer, Braidr.

Retail focus

The analysis highlighted retail and consumer goods as a sector where digital foundations limit AI deployment. It said progress often stalls not because of a lack of interest, but because of weaknesses in core content and data infrastructure.

Braidr identified content management as a leading constraint across the AIM-100. It said 42% of companies still manually upload PDFs and rely on legacy content management systems. It linked those practices with limited readiness for generative AI and personalisation initiatives.

The report placed Debenhams Group and Vertu Motors in its Retail & Consumer Goods Top 20. It said the two companies illustrate the difference between organisations with stronger digital foundations and the wider market.

People concerns

The study also raised concerns about workforce readiness. Braidr said it found no evidence of systematic AI workforce preparation across the AIM-100 based on public disclosures. It added that many companies avoid discussing AI talent plans in public materials.

Joe McLewin, Managing Director at Braidr, linked content and skills to broader execution problems. "Despite the obvious AI advantage, companies still treat content as an afterthought, and in an AI-first world this is a critical mistake. Content is no longer just marketing output; it is the fuel for intelligent systems," said McLewin.

"And when it comes to people, we suspect companies are not divulging their true AI workforce strategies. Whether through caution or concern, this silence is creating a capability gap that will only grow wider," said McLewin.

Sector differences

Braidr reported variation by industry. It said marketing, media and research companies outperformed tech firms by more than 3%. It ranked Oil & Gas as the lowest scoring sector, with an average AI maturity score of 12.

It described Financial Services as the sector with the widest spread of performance, with companies appearing among both higher and lower ranks. Braidr said this reflects an uneven pattern of adoption and investment outcomes across the industry.

Top rankings

The report named RWS Holdings as the highest performing business overall, and said it held an eight-point lead over the second-placed company. It listed GB Group, Tracsis, GlobalData and YouGov as the remaining companies in its top five.

Braidr said the results indicate many high-growth UK companies still lack the operational conditions for scaled AI use. "The AI hype is over. 2026 is the year of real AI adoption," said Mouldovan.