What are the most significant barriers to AI adoption for mid-sized organisations?

For mid-sized organizations, often classified as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the most significant barriers to AI adoption include resource constraints, skill gaps, and limited data access, which hinder the implementation of AI in areas like financial decision-making [2]. These challenges limit SMEs' ability to achieve efficiency gains and competitiveness, as they lack the financial and technical resources available to larger firms. Additionally, broader organizational issues such as inadequate change management and employee resistance due to fears of job displacement exacerbate adoption stalls, leading to delayed returns on investment and unrealized productivity [1][5]. Rapid AI advancements also outpace the capacity for risk management, particularly for CIOs in mid-sized settings, increasing exposure to operational risks [6].