RESTON, Va. (June 23, 2026) — Federal agencies are making progress in the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) to support government missions and programs but moving from experimentation to enterprise implementation remains a lengthy process, according to a new report released today from ICF (NASDAQ:ICFI), a leading global solutions and technology provider.
Based on a survey of 200 federal employees across 18 different agencies, the report, AI Impact at Scale, finds that agencies can take an average of 6.7 months to move from concept to prototype and another 10 to 17 months to reach production.
While federal agencies increasingly view AI as a viable and valuable technology, the findings show that operational and organizational barriers continue to slow its full production. While 77% of leaders believe AI can be implemented cost-effectively, only 65% believe their agencies can do so quickly.
The report identifies procurement and process friction as the most significant obstacles to enterprise-scale deployments:
- 60% say bureaucratic process continues to slow things down, despite 84% reporting having governance structures in place
- 57% cite procurement as the top barrier
- Additional operational challenges include data readiness (49%) and workforce skills (46%)
“Federal agencies have largely moved beyond asking if AI can advance missions and deliver value. Our research shows that the biggest barriers are no longer technical, but organizational,” said David Birken, ICF senior vice president for digital modernization and experience. “The question now is whether existing processes and operating models can support deployment fast enough to deliver impact at scale. Success will depend on agencies’ ability to modernize acquisition pathways, reduce process friction and align governance with execution, so AI can move to operational reality faster.”
As a trusted partner to government and a leader in AI solutions, ICF brings together deep domain expertise with leading-edge technologies, advanced analytics, and human-centered design to help agencies operationalize AI. From strategy to execution, ICF supports federal clients in reducing time-to-value, accelerating mission outcomes and transforming service delivery through AI.