China leads GenAI adoption, U.S. ahead in implementation – study

MARLOW, UNITED KINGDOM — A recent global survey of 1,600 organizations has revealed intriguing insights into the adoption and implementation of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in different countries and regions.
The study, conducted by SAS Institute and Coleman Parkes Research, highlights a complex landscape in which China leads in overall AI usage, but the United States leads in full implementation.
China’s dominance in GenAI adoption
The survey found that 83% of Chinese business decision-makers reported using GenAI technology. Meanwhile, in the U.S., 65% of organizations are utilizing GenAI, placing it behind the United Kingdom (70%) but ahead of Australia (63%).
However, Stephen Saw, Managing Director at Coleman Parkes, cautions that “higher adoption doesn’t necessarily equate to effective implementation or better returns.”
Specific industries that fully implement GenAI into regular businesses include banking (17%), telco (15%), insurance (11%), life sciences (11%), and professional services (11%).
U.S. leads in full GenAI implementation
While China may be ahead in overall adoption, the U.S. takes the lead when it comes to fully implementing GenAI into regular business operations.
The study reveals that 24% of U.S. organizations have fully integrated GenAI, compared to 19% in China and 11% in the United Kingdom.
Regionally, North America (the U.S. and Canada) leads in full implementation with 20%, while the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, including China, Australia, and Japan, reported a 10% full implementation rate.
“As we exit the hype cycle, it is now about purposefully implementing and delivering repeatable and trusted business results from GenAI,” said Bryan Harris, Executive Vice President at SAS.
Challenges and benefits of GenAI utilization
The survey also identified several obstacles hindering the effective utilization of GenAI:
- Lack of a clear GenAI strategy: Nine out of ten senior technology decision-makers did not understand how GenAI impacted business processes.
- AI regulation: Only a third of companies felt equipped to comply with incoming regulations, and just 5% had reliable systems to safeguard against bias and privacy concerns.
- Insufficient data needed to train large language models (LLMs), such as OpenAI’s upcoming ChatGPT-5.
Despite these challenges, early adopters report significant benefits, including improved employee experience (89%), higher customer retention (82%), and reduced operational costs (82%).