State of AI Trust in 2026: Shifting to the Agentic Era
Summary
McKinsey's 2026 Responsible AI maturity survey examines how organizations are progressing from generative AI adoption to agentic AI. Based on responses from approximately 500 organizations, the report finds that responsible AI maturity is improving, while security and risk concerns remain the primary obstacle to scaling AI initiatives. Organizations making substantial investments in responsible AI are more likely to achieve stronger financial performance.
Key Insights
- Survey includes approximately 500 organizations.
- Average responsible AI maturity score increased from 2.0 in 2025 to 2.3 in 2026.
- Nearly two-thirds of respondents identify security and risk concerns as the biggest barrier to scaling agentic AI.
- Security concerns outweigh both regulatory and technical challenges.
- Organizations investing $25 million or more in responsible AI report higher EBIT impact, often exceeding 5%.
- Responsible AI maturity is increasingly linked to measurable business performance.
- Strong governance and trust frameworks are becoming critical for successful enterprise AI adoption.
About the Author
Christian Blem Charity
Senior AI Product Leader and ex-Deloitte consultant focused on enterprise AI and automation.
Phil Slorick is an operational architect focused on helping organizations integrate artificial intelligence into core business processes. His expertise includes workflow automation, operational efficiency, enterprise systems, and scalable AI implementation. He writes about practical AI adoption, business operations, digital transformation, and building intelligent organizations.