Search

Organizations are investing in artificial intelligence with expectations of improved efficiency, stronger decision quality, better customer experiences, and new sources of competitive advantage. Yet many AI initiatives do not progress beyond experimentation or fail to produce durable business value after deployment. A central reason is that firms often treat AI deployment as a technical implementation challenge rather than as an organizational readiness problem. Existing readiness models help organizations evaluate digital capability, while business value frameworks help managers estimate the strategic and financial promise of technology investments. However, these two assessments are frequently conducted separately. As a result, decision-makers may pursue AI initiatives that appear strategically attractive but exceed the organization’s practical capacity to implement, govern, and absorb them. This article develops the AI Readiness–Business Value Matrix as an original conceptual model for assessing organizational preparedness before artificial intelligence deployment. The matrix maps organizational readiness against expected business value potential, enabling firms to classify AI initiatives into practical decision categories. It is designed to support managerial judgment before major resources are committed. The article synthesises peer-reviewed publications published across AI adoption, organizational readiness, digital transformation, business value, and strategic management. The resulting model defines readiness dimensions, value categories, and four strategic quadrants that guide whether organizations should proceed, prepare, pivot, or postpone AI deployment. Four tables operationalise the model by detailing preparedness dimensions, business value potential, matrix design, and application scenarios. The AI Readiness–Business Value Matrix contributes a practical diagnostic tool for aligning AI ambition with organizational preparedness. It encourages organizations to move beyond technology enthusiasm toward structured evaluation of capability, governance, culture, and strategic value. By doing so, it can reduce deployment failure risk and improve the allocation of scarce managerial, technical, and financial resources.