AI Maturity Framework
Where is your organization
on the AI journey?
AI adoption isn't about cost savings or headcount reduction. It's an innovation enabler that unlocks capabilities your organization literally couldn't access before. The journey is from tribal to coherent — and knowing where you are is the first step.
The Framework
Six levels of AI maturity
None
Knowledge lives in people's heads
L1Ad Hoc
Individual experimentation, copy-paste workflows
L2Integrated Tooling
AI connected to your existing workflows
L3Custom Data Intelligence
Your proprietary data, instantly accessible
L4Dynamic & Reactive
Production data, proactive insights
L5Autonomous & Evolving
Self-improving systems, compounding advantage
None
Knowledge lives in people's heads
L1Ad Hoc
Individual experimentation, copy-paste workflows
L2Integrated Tooling
AI connected to your existing workflows
L3Custom Data Intelligence
Your proprietary data, instantly accessible
L4Dynamic & Reactive
Production data, proactive insights
L5Autonomous & Evolving
Self-improving systems, compounding advantage
Level by Level
None
Knowledge lives in people's headsEverything is manual. Information is scattered across documents, spreadsheets, and tribal knowledge. Processes depend entirely on who knows what.
What this looks like:
- - Searching through email threads to find an answer someone gave six months ago
- - New hires take months to become productive because nothing is documented
- - Key person leaves and critical processes break
Ad Hoc
Individual experimentation, copy-paste workflowsEmployees are using ChatGPT, Copilot, or other AI tools on their own. Results vary wildly. No organizational structure, no data integration, no consistency.
What this looks like:
- - Marketing copies blog posts into ChatGPT for editing suggestions
- - One developer uses Copilot while others don't — no shared standards
- - Someone built an internal tool with AI, but nobody else can maintain it
The bridge to L2
→ Vibe Check — fix your AI-coded appIntegrated Tooling
AI connected to your existing workflowsThe organization has adopted AI tools integrated into existing systems. There's structure and consistency. AI is part of the workflow, not a side activity.
What this looks like:
- - AI assistants connected to your CRM, analytics platform, or codebase
- - Standardized tools that the whole team uses the same way
- - Data flows between systems without copy-paste
See it in action
Custom Data Intelligence
Your proprietary data, instantly accessibleAI is connected to your proprietary datasets. Teams can ask ad hoc questions and get instant answers. What used to take 45 minutes now takes 5 seconds. This is where real capability expansion begins.
What this looks like:
- - Ask 'how does Q4 retention compare to Q3?' and get an answer in seconds
- - Upload a document and get structured data extracted automatically
- - New employees can query institutional knowledge from day one
See it in action
Dynamic & Reactive
Production data, proactive insightsSystems pull from production data, customer behavior, and service logs. AI proactively surfaces insights and adapts. Power shifts to the people closest to the business problem.
What this looks like:
- - Real-time dashboards that flag anomalies before anyone asks
- - Content intelligence that filters noise and surfaces what matters
- - Product managers driving features that used to require engineering
See it in action
Autonomous & Evolving
Self-improving systems, compounding advantageAgent sessions are mined for institutional knowledge. Tribal knowledge crystallizes into documented workflows. Feedback loops are continuous. The system learns and improves on its own.
What this looks like:
- - AI agent interactions are analyzed to discover undocumented processes
- - The system suggests workflow improvements based on usage patterns
- - Operations run on AI commands instead of SaaS subscriptions
See it in action
Where Are You?
Find your starting point
Most organizations aren't at a single level — different departments and functions sit at different points. Pick the cluster that sounds most like you.
Just Getting Started
- ✓ Your team uses ChatGPT individually but there's no organizational strategy
- ✓ AI feels interesting but you're not sure where to begin
- ✓ You're worried about security and governance
Tools in Place, Ready to Customize
- ✓ You have AI tools connected to your workflows but they feel generic
- ✓ You know your proprietary data could unlock more, but aren't sure how
- ✓ Some teams are ahead of others and there's no consistent strategy
Scaling What Works
- ✓ AI is driving real business outcomes, but you want it to compound
- ✓ You need systems that learn from themselves and adapt
- ✓ Governance and oversight need to evolve with your capabilities
Beyond the Levels
Maturity isn't one-dimensional
Levels tell you how far along you are. But where you apply AI and how you govern it matter just as much.
Function Types
Different kinds of AI work that mature at different rates across your organization.
Governance & Risk
How you manage AI safety, compliance, and oversight — matched to the risk profile of each function.
Department Readiness
Every department has a different starting point. Engineering might be at L3 while Finance is at L0.
How we use this framework
What we do
- ✓ Walk through the framework with your team
- ✓ You self-identify where each department sits
- ✓ We build a roadmap from where you are to where you want to be
- ✓ Every level up is a clear, scoped engagement
What you get
- ✓ Honest assessment — no upselling to where you don't need to be
- ✓ Practical roadmap with concrete next steps
- ✓ Quick wins at your current level while building toward the next
- ✓ A partner who meets you where you are
The key insight: different functions need different governance levels. Marketing experimenting with content generation can move fast. AI touching financial data or customer-facing products needs more guardrails. This creates a natural roadmap — move fast where risk is low, build carefully where it's high.
Ready to find your starting point?
We work directly with founders and product leaders. The conversation starts with understanding where you are — not selling you where we think you should be.
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