China is leading on GenAI experimentation, but lags U.S. in implementation, survey shows

Chinese companies are leading the way in the experimentation of generative AI, but they're still behind the U.S. when it comes to full implementation, according to a new survey.

The survey — by AI analytics and software developer SAS Institute and market researcher Coleman Parkes — found that 64% of Chinese companies surveyed were running initial experiments on generative AI but had not yet fully integrated the tech into their business system.

In comparison, 58% of companies in the UK and 41% in the U.S. were still experimenting with it.

The survey respondents were decision-makers in GenAI strategy or data analytics in 1,600 organizations worldwide in key sectors, including banking, insurance, retail, and health care.

The U.S. tops the list in terms of integration of GenAI into their business process, with 24% of the companies having fully implemented the tech — compared to 19% in China and 11% in the UK.

Adoption referred to both experimentation and full implementation in the survey.

Chinese organizations are leading in the adoption of generative AI, with 83% of them either running initial tests or having fully implemented the technology. That's much higher than the United Kingdom at 70%, followed by the United States at 65% and Australia at 63%.

"While China may lead in GenAI adoption rates, higher adoption doesn't necessarily equate to effective implementation or better returns," said Stephen Saw, managing director at Coleman Parkes. 

To tap the full benefits of generative AI, it must be fully integrated into production systems and processes at a company-wide level, according to Udo Sglavo, SAS's vice president of Applied AI & Modeling Research and Development.

The U.S. has some advantages in the integration of generative AI,