"How far are other companies adopting AI? We feel behind and anxious, but we don't even know what the right answer is"—we are receiving more consultations of this nature from SMB executives. The debate over whether to adopt AI is over; the question has shifted from "should we use it?" to "which one should we use, and how?" However, without visibility into peers, measuring your own position is difficult.
A valuable clue is the enterprise AI adoption survey released by identity management provider Okta. Based on anonymized access data from over 20,000 companies, its value lies in reflecting actual usage rather than subjective impressions. To state the conclusion upfront, the market is moving at two speeds: fast-growing AI-native vendors versus legacy giants with massive existing footprints. This holds rich implications for determining your company's next move. If you are wondering where to begin, please also see SMB AI adoption is decided by the first workflow.
Two facts revealed by the survey
Okta's survey reveals two contrasting facts regarding enterprise AI usage.
- Anthropic leads in growth rate: Enterprise account expansion was the fastest among tracked providers, earning top marks across metrics. By spring 2026, it reportedly surpassed OpenAI in both enterprise account count and monthly active users.
- Microsoft 365 remains the largest by total volume: Conversely, even as the fastest-growing AI-native vendor, Anthropic's total accounts remained less than half of Microsoft 365—the prime example of an existing service embedding AI features—and its monthly active users were less than one-tenth.
In short, the landscape shows that AI-native providers drive growth momentum, yet the AI that employees actually touch day-to-day is embedded within existing productivity tools. Emerging players are fast; incumbent giants are widespread. These are not contradictory, but two simultaneous faces of the market.
Why "two speeds" emerge
This structure mirrors the two entry points through which companies adopt AI.
| Entry point | Representative example | Adoption pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Adopting new dedicated tools | Anthropic (Claude), etc. | Rapidly from departments and individuals with clear objectives |
| Using AI attached to existing tools | Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, etc. | Naturally and widely across all employees |
New dedicated tools spread rapidly starting from teams with clear objectives of what they want to accomplish. Meanwhile, AI embedded into everyday email and document software reaches all employees without requiring special decisions. It is not a question of which is superior, but of different roles. Furthermore, Okta's analysis highlights another key trend: enterprises are not locking into a single vendor, but moving toward running multiple vendors in parallel.
What your company should take away from this survey
The purpose of reading this data is not to feel relieved or anxious about other companies' figures. Translating it into actionable decisions yields the following three takeaways:
- No need to bet on a single vendor: The broader market is shifting toward multi-vendor adoption. A practical strategy is elevating company-wide baseline productivity with existing productivity tool AI while adding dedicated tools for specific workflows.
- Existing tools offer the fastest company-wide rollout: If you already use Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, their embedded AI provides the easiest entry point to distribute across all staff. Exploring what is possible with tools already at hand is worth doing before signing new contracts.
- Establish baseline rules before expanding: As multiple AI tools enter an organization, ambiguous boundaries regarding allowable input data become breeding grounds for data leaks. Setting up governance fundamentals in advance via our guide to establishing AI usage rules for SMBs will prevent panic later.
Rather than rushing to roll out one vendor across the entire company, elevate baseline capabilities widely with existing tools while supplementing targeted workflows with specialized tools. Okta's figures substantiate that this two-pronged approach is sensible.
First, verify which entry point your company is using
Comparing with other firms reveals not rankings, but which entry point your company is using to access AI. Take time this week to audit which AI tools are currently used across your organization. If you only use AI within existing productivity suites, there may be room to evaluate task-specific dedicated tools; if you rely solely on dedicated tools, company-wide baseline adoption may be unaddressed. That gap provides the hint for your next move.
Whether you want to assess where your AI adoption stands relative to peers, discuss combining existing and specialized tools, or get help structuring usage policies before expanding, reach out through GleamHub's consultation on development, AI, and automation. From auditing current usage to designing the right combination and roadmap, we will partner with you tailored to your operational realities.
