CMMI Institute has launched a new AI Maturity (AIM) model, positioning it as a framework to help organisations assess and improve their ability to govern AI as investment and deployment accelerate.
The announcement points to a widening gap between AI adoption and governance maturity, citing ISACA’s AI Pulse Poll, which found 38% of organisations have a comprehensive AI policy and 25% have no AI policy.
According to CMMI Institute, the AIM model is intended to provide an integrated approach to governing AI capabilities and adoption, with the aim of moving organisations from “fragmented” AI efforts toward more measurable and consistently governed practices across the AI lifecycle.
The model includes AI-related content across all 31 CMMI Practice Areas, with the organisation stating that nearly half of practices now include AI context-specific additions. It also introduces what it describes as a benchmark view across eight domains: data, development, people, safety, security, services, suppliers and virtual collaboration.
Jamie Norton, Vice Chair of the ISACA Board, said that while many organisations have experimented with AI, scaling it across an enterprise requires stronger discipline around governance, data quality and accountability. “ISACA’s recent global AI Pulse Poll found organisations remain concerned about governance despite accelerating AI investment,” he said. “That’s why structured approaches to assessing AI capability and governance are becoming increasingly important.”
“Organisations need evidence that AI investments are delivering measurable value, beyond technical capability,” Norton added.
CMMI Institute said AIM is supported by related assets and training, including a CMMI Model Viewer Plus with crosswalks, an appraisal offering, and practitioner and lead appraiser certifications. Courses listed include Building Artificial Intelligence Maturity (BAIM) and Appraising Artificial Intelligence Maturity (AAIM).
Ron Lear, CMMI Institute Vice President, Global CMMI Strategies, said organisations are seeking measurable returns and risk controls as they deploy AI. “Organisations have clear expectations for adopting and investing in the technology, including clear, consistent and measurable ROI, faster innovation, lowered costs, and better business performance—all while mitigating key AI adoption risk,” he said.
The AI-related content was developed by the CMMI AI Working Group, which CMMI Institute said includes more than 25 industry experts worldwide, with IBM Consulting acting as sponsor. CMMI Institute said 100 companies provided additional input through community and internal reviews during development.
CMMI Institute said IBM Consulting, Infosys Limited and Government Technical Services Corporation (GTSC) were evaluated as part of a CMMI AIM pilot program, and that other organisations involved in pilot appraisals and training included Benchmarked Pty Ltd in Australia, CommandTec and KPMG Assurance and Consulting Services LLP.
In Australia and New Zealand, the organisation said AIM training, appraisals and advisory services will be delivered through authorised CMMI partners and practitioners.
