91% of enterprises don't understand their own AI dependencies. IBM just proved you're flying blind.

91% of executives can't fully map their AI dependencies across vendors, models, and infrastructure.

That's not a gap. That's a blackout.

IBM surveyed 1,000 senior executives across 16 countries.

71% say switching their primary AI vendor would be difficult.

68% can't meet data residency requirements across geographies.

81% admit a seven-day vendor outage would cripple operations.

The math is brutal: enterprises are running AI systems they can't see, can't switch, and can't afford to lose.

Here's the part that should make your board sweat:

Only 7% of organizations operate at the highest level of AI control.

Those 7% protect 55% more operating profit from AI-driven disruptions.

Everyone else is one model deprecation away from margin collapse.

Your AI vendor isn't just a tool provider. It's a structural dependency with pricing power, data lock-in, and zero obligation to keep your lights on.

The study found average of 6 AI-related disruptions in the past two years. Price increases. Usage restrictions. Model deprecations. Performance degradation. All without your consent.

Audit your AI stack today. Map every vendor, every model, every data flow. If you can't name your dependencies in 30 minutes, you don't have visibility. You have hope.

That's not a strategy.

SOURCE: https://newsroom.ibm.com/2026-06-17-ibm-study-limited-control-and-rising-dependencies-leave-enterprises-exposed-in-the-age-of-ai
VERIFIED: IBM Institute for Business Value press release (June 17, 2026), Oxford Economics survey methodology, 1,000 senior executives across 16 countries and 17 industries
SIGNAL: Enterprises are accumulating AI dependencies faster than governance can track them. The 91% blind spot means most CISOs and CIOs cannot answer the simplest question: what breaks if our AI vendor disappears tomorrow?