Enterprises across the world are pushing ahead on digital transformation efforts, with 29% among them considered “doers,” scoring among leaders in areas such as infrastructure, app delivery, security, data, and automation.
Based on a report from F5, this is a huge improvement from last year’s report, when only 4% were considered “doers.”
F5 analyzed 713 responses selected from its Digital Enterprise Maturity Index report. Respondents represent a global sample, with just about a third from each major region — North America; Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and the Asia-Pacific.
The report categorises organisations into three distinct groups based on their progress in digital transformation: “doers,” who are making significant strides and leading the way in modernization; “dabblers,” who are in the early stages of their digital journey; and “dawdlers,” who show little to no progress in advancing their digital capabilities.
F5 said this classification helps highlight the varying levels of digital maturity and readiness for AI integration.
Findings show that generative AI is fundamentally changing digital operations, significantly enhancing automation and data management. Organisations that integrate AI technologies show higher levels of digital maturity across multiple categories.
Also, 82% of “doers” operate hybrid applications, indicating advanced digital readiness and effective AI integration.
In addition, 97% of digitally mature organizations have adopted or plan to adopt Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) practices, essential for scaling AI-driven operations and maintaining performance.
Meanwhile, with the increasing reliance on AI, 92% of mature organisations have adopted zero trust principles, reflecting a higher confidence level in their security frameworks.
Also, advanced organisations manage an average of 468 APIs, showcasing a sophisticated digital infrastructure prepared for AI integration.
Organisations whose automation maturity is “automated” saw the biggest benefits: 53% enjoy greater consistency, 71% saw cost savings, and 80% report greater operational efficiencies.
Beyond the impact of generative AI, the report cites several key areas crucial for digital transformation.
First is infrastructure modernisation. The report emphasises the importance of a flexible and adaptable enterprise architecture to keep pace with rapid technological advancements.
Organisations need an infrastructure that can seamlessly integrate new technologies as they emerge.
Second is application delivery and security. The ability to distribute and secure applications across various environments — core, cloud, and edge — is critical.
The report highlights that 40% of organisations have automated app and API security functions, but only 23% have automated app delivery, indicating a significant area for improvement.
Further, data governance and full-stack observability are essential for digital maturity. The report notes that 58% of “doers” face challenges with data silos, emphasising the need for robust data strategies to enable comprehensive observability and drive automation.
Finally, the report delves into the operational hurdles organisations face, such as budget constraints, complexity of tools, and skillset gaps.
For instance, 49% of “doers” cite a lack of interoperability and the presence of too many tools and APIs as significant blockers to automation.
