Companies across the S&P 500 are adopting artificial intelligence at sharply different rates, with Nvidia, Amazon, Meta and oilfield services giant SLB emerging as those using it the most, according to a new study.
The research, released Monday by the AI-Driven Enterprise Institute (AIDE), evaluated companies across four categories: literacy, advocacy, orientation and implementation. It assigned scores of up to 100 in each category and produced an overall index designed to compare how companies are approaching AI relative to their peers.
Nvidia, Amazon, Meta and SLB, formerly known as Schlumberger, each received a perfect company score of 100 based on the study's orientation and implementation measures, according to findings shared with CNBC. The rankings examined publicly available information including earnings call transcripts, patent filings and job postings to assess how organizations are incorporating AI into their businesses.
Nvidia's position at the top of the rankings comes as the company continues to dominate the market for AI computing infrastructure. The chipmaker recently unveiled its Cosmos 3 world model platform for robotics and autonomous systems while reporting strong demand for its data center products, according to Reuters.
Walmart ranked fifth overall with a score of 95.84, followed by utility companies AES and NextEra Energy. Other companies appearing in the top 20 included Ecolab, Digital Realty, Chevron, Alphabet, Equinix, IQVIA, Dow, Halliburton, Broadridge Financial Solutions, Microsoft, Block, Duke Energy and PepsiCo, according to the AIDE rankings.
Paul Cheek, chief executive of AIDE and a senior lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told CNBC that boards and executives increasingly want objective benchmarks to measure their performance against competitors.
"When a board asks a CEO — 'How are we doing compared to our peer group?' — I don't want it to be speculative," Cheek said.
Companies continue investing heavily in AI-related infrastructure and software. Global spending on generative AI is expected to rise significantly this year as businesses seek productivity improvements and operational efficiencies, according to research released by International Data Corporation (IDC). The market research firm said worldwide AI spending is projected to exceed $300 billion in 2026, driven by investments in applications, infrastructure and related services.
Corporate spending on AI has also become a major theme during earnings season. Many large companies have highlighted AI initiatives during quarterly reports and investor presentations, while cloud providers and semiconductor manufacturers have expanded capital expenditures to support growing demand. Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon and Meta collectively plan to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on infrastructure investments this year, according to reporting from The Wall Street Journal and company disclosures.
The technology is increasingly being used beyond traditional software applications. Energy companies, manufacturers, logistics operators and defense contractors have expanded investments in automation and data analytics as geopolitical tensions and military conflicts have highlighted the importance of resilient supply chains, infrastructure security and operational efficiency. Companies involved in energy production and industrial operations, including SLB, Halliburton and Chevron, ranked among the highest performers in the AIDE study.
While the report measured adoption and implementation efforts, it did not evaluate whether those investments are generating financial returns.
