AI Adoption in US Business: Still Near 1 in 5, but a Wave Is Building

According to the latest data, artificial intelligence is now used by nearly one in five businesses across the United States. That leaves a vast untapped market, with roughly 80% of companies yet to adopt AI technologies. The overall adoption rate has remained remarkably stable, hovering between 17 and 20 percent since late 2025. Looking ahead, up to 23% of firms plan to integrate AI within the next six months, a signal of potential growth. Adoption is not uniform: larger companies are currently leading the charge, and a company's scale is the primary driver of whether it uses AI. There are also significant disparities by industry, with knowledge-based sectors like Information and Finance far ahead of the curve, and those same leading sectors are where the most significant future growth is expected. The survey tracks the trend from late 2025 and projects it forward through late 2026. This analysis is based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau's Business Trends and Outlook Survey. [[src:s1]]