The Deloitte AI Institute is a research and thought-leadership group inside the professional services firm Deloitte, launched in the United States in June 2020. It is best known for the annual report "The State of AI in the Enterprise," whose 2026 edition, released January 21, 2026, draws on a survey of 3,235 business and IT leaders in 24 countries. Because Deloitte also sells AI consulting, the report is useful as a snapshot of executive opinion but not as an independent measurement.
Key takeaways
- The Institute was announced in June 2020 with Nitin Mittal, Irfan Saif, and Beena Ammanath named as leaders, and later opened regional versions including Canada and Australia in 2021.
- The 2026 report surveyed 3,235 leaders between August and September 2025, and it covers six industries.
- One headline finding is that only 25% of respondents had moved 40% or more of their AI pilots into production.
- Survey answers are self-reported by executives, and the release does not describe how respondents were chosen.
- Deloitte member firms have themselves faced scrutiny for AI-related errors in two government reports in 2025.
What the Institute is and where it sits
Trade coverage dated June 29, 2020 reported that Deloitte had launched the Deloitte AI Institute as a center for AI research and applied innovation for enterprises. The announcement named Nitin Mittal, an AI co-leader and principal at Deloitte Consulting, and Irfan Saif, an AI co-leader at Deloitte Risk and Financial Advisory. Beena Ammanath was named executive director. Mittal described its purpose as advancing "the conversation and development of AI for enterprises."
The Institute is a publishing and convening unit, not a separate company or a regulator, and it does not set standards. The Deloitte name refers to a network of member firms that the firm itself says are separate legal entities, so a report issued under the Deloitte name in one country may be produced by a different member firm than one in another. Deloitte Canada's press release and BetaKit coverage place the Canadian institute at March 3, 2021; a July 2021 date for the Australian institute appears in search listings but could not be opened and confirmed.
The 2026 State of AI in the Enterprise report
The report is described as the seventh year of a series that builds on Deloitte's earlier quarterly generative AI surveys. According to the January 21, 2026 release, fieldwork ran from August to September 2025 and reached leaders from director to C-suite level with direct involvement in AI initiatives. The six industries are consumer; energy, resources and industrials; financial services; life sciences and health care; technology, media and telecom; and government and public services. The table gives selected findings as the release words them, with a note on how to read each.
| Reported finding | How to read it |
|---|---|
| Workers with sanctioned AI tools grew from fewer than 40% to around 60% | Measures access to approved tools, not how often the tools are used |
| Only 25% have moved 40% or more of pilots into production | A threshold chosen by the survey, so it is not a general failure rate |
| 34% say they use AI to "deeply transform" the business | Self-description by the respondent |
| Only 30% are redesigning key processes around AI | Shows how many organizations treat AI as an add-on |
| Close to three-quarters plan to deploy agentic AI within two years | A plan, not a deployment count |
| Only 21% of those companies report a mature model for agent governance | Share of the planners, not of all respondents |
| 77% factor country of origin into vendor selection | Relevant to procurement and data residency questions |
A checklist for reading a firm's own AI survey
Surveys from consulting firms are common sources for articles and slide decks. Several questions help judge how far a number can be pushed.
- Who answered? Here, senior leaders who are involved in AI projects, which can skew toward organizations already active in the field.
- How were they selected? The release does not say, so a margin of error cannot be calculated from it.
- What was measured? Many items record intentions, such as plans to deploy agents, which differ from results.
- Who benefits? Deloitte provides audit, consulting, tax, and advisory services, and findings about unmet needs align with services it sells.
- Is there a second source? Government statistics, such as national business surveys, count actual use among firms and can be set beside a consultancy's figure.
The report is still a legitimate record of what executives told the firm in late 2025. The limit is on treating its percentages as population estimates for all businesses.
When Deloitte's own work met generative AI
Two cases show why the questions above apply to a firm's work and not only its surveys. Neither involves the Institute, and both concern reports for governments.
| Case | What was reported | Deloitte and client response |
|---|---|---|
| Australia, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (October 2025) | A review costing about AUD 440,000 contained references to papers that do not exist and a made-up quote attributed to a federal court judge, found by a University of Sydney researcher | A revised version disclosed use of Azure OpenAI; Deloitte agreed to repay the final instalment; the department said the substance and recommendations were unchanged |
| Newfoundland and Labrador, Health Human Resources Plan (November 2025) | A 526-page report, paid at CAD 1,598,485, contained at least four citations to research that could not be found | Deloitte acknowledged the four citations were incorrect, said it stood by the findings, and agreed to review all citations |
These cases do not show that the Institute's research is flawed. They show that a large firm with AI practices used generative tools in client deliverables and that fabricated references reached published reports, which is why readers of any consultancy report can reasonably ask how it was produced and checked.
FAQ
When was the Deloitte AI Institute founded?
It was announced in the United States in June 2020. Regional institutes, including a Canadian one, were announced in 2021, according to Deloitte's press listings.
Is the State of AI in the Enterprise report independent research?
It is produced and published by Deloitte, which sells AI-related services, so it is first-party research. Its method is stated in part: 3,235 leaders in 24 countries surveyed from August to September 2025.
Does the Institute sell products?
The 2020 launch coverage describes a research center that plans to publish studies and case material. Deloitte as a firm offers consulting and advisory services, and the Institute's material is part of that firm's public profile.
Where can the full report be read?
Deloitte hosts the report on its own site, and the January 21, 2026 press release summarizes the figures quoted here. Readers should check the report's methodology section for details the release omits.
Related reading
- Accenture's AI practice in context
- An overview of AI companies by sector
- Automation and AI in business processes
- AI and data science work
More in AI Tools and Industry.
Last verified: October 2026
Sources
- Deloitte, press release From Ambition to Activation (State of AI in the Enterprise 2026), PR Newswire, January 21, 2026
- Consulting US, Deloitte launches AI Institute to drive research and innovation, June 29, 2020
- Deloitte Canada and Deloitte Australia, press releases announcing regional AI institutes, March and July 2021
- Associated Press , Deloitte to partially refund Australian government for report with apparent AI-generated errors, October 7, 2025
- HR Reporter, AI errors: Province grapples with Deloitte report marred by false citations, November 25, 2025
- Australian Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Targeted Compliance Framework Assurance Review final report page, updated February 3, 2026