Data to Value: Building an AI-First Digital Business October 2025 | InfoBrief, sponsored by ServiceNow Tony Olvet Group Vice President, Worldwide C-Suite and Digital Business Research, IDC Nupur Singh Andley Research Manager, Digital Business and AI Transformation Strategies 2InfoBrief, sponsored by ServiceNow October 2025 | IDC #US53771425 Data to Value: Building an AI-First Digital Business Table of Contents CLICK BELOW TO NAVIGATE TO EACH SECTION IN THIS DOCUMENT. Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 The View of AI and Digital Business from the C-Suite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 The Impact of AI Everywhere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 How Enterprises Are Developing and Driving AI-First Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Four Strategic Pillars of a Successful AI-Fueled Digital Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Understanding Characteristics of Digital Business Leaders . . . . . . . . .8 Trends in AI Platform Adoption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 AI Platform Usage and Challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Business Outcomes: Leading Digital Businesses Outperform the Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Digital Business: Scorecard KPIs Among Leading Enterprises . . . . 12 AI-First Platform Adoption for Next-Generation Technology Modernization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Key Factors in Strategy Development and Applications Across the Enterprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Business Outcomes: Learning from Leading Digital Businesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Important Actions in Deciding Which Digital Platform to Adopt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Guidance for Leaders Seeking a Competitive Edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 About the IDC Analysts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Message from the Sponsor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 3Table of ContentsInfoBrief, sponsored by ServiceNow October 2025 | IDC #US53771425 Data to Value: Building an AI-First Digital Business Executive Summary Companies are focused on enhancing their AI and digital business capabilities, deriving value in the form of optimized processes, enhanced customer experience, augmented automation, and business model innovation. Companies feel AI’s disruption and see agentic AI’s growing momentum. Many now seek to augment their processes and innovation with AI’s assistance. C-suite executives also see AI as an area of significant growth in 2025, which has led to AI being the top new digital technology investment. Data remains the foundation of any AI initiative and must be central to every enterprise’s strategy. Enabling AI on a digital platform, particularly one with a built-in robust data foundation, provides significant competitive advantages. Most companies are still building out their data platforms and strategy and feel that investment is needed in their data systems. Leading digital businesses with AI platforms in place are seeing major benefits over nascent digital organizations in their markets.