The Fox Cities Chamber has released the region’s first
AI Readiness Survey, providing a snapshot to date of how local employers are preparing for - and already using - artificial intelligence. The assessment, compiled from 45 organizations across the Fox Valley, reveals a business community that is highly curious, increasingly engaged, and moving quickly from experimentation to structured adoption.
The survey, conducted in partnership with Blackline, combines 45 organizational assessments and survey responses collected at the Fox Cities Chamber’s AI Business Summit on November 5, 2025. The assessment evaluated readiness across six domains: strategy, data, governance, architecture, people, and operations. The region’s overall AI maturity score is 2.30 out of 5, placing the Fox Cities firmly in the “developing” stage of adoption; an expected and encouraging benchmark for a mid-sized region early on its AI journey.
“This survey confirms what we witnessed at the Summit: Fox Cities employers are ready to learn, ready to experiment, and ready to lead,” said Becky Bartoszek, President and CEO of the Fox Cities Chamber. “These results give us a clear starting point and a benchmark to measure our progress in the years ahead. As AI continues to reshape how companies operate and compete, we want our region to move forward with confidence, responsibility, and a shared understanding of what’s possible.”
Key Findings
Readiness levels vary across industries, with higher education, professional services, and advanced manufacturing showing the strongest maturity, while sectors such as healthcare, nonprofit, creative industries, and small retail are early in their adoption but demonstrate significant enthusiasm and potential.
Despite being early in the AI adoption curve, the Fox Cities shows strong indicators of momentum. Organizations with governance structures and clearer data strategies are advancing quickly, and microbusinesses are proving to be some of the fastest adopters due to their agility and lean decision-making.
The survey also highlights the region’s collaborative advantage. Cross-sector partnerships, anchored by employers, educators, workforce boards, and chambers, are emerging as a critical driver of progress and a differentiator for the Fox Valley.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Building on the success of its 2025 event, the Fox Cities Chamber will host a second daylong AI Business Summit on November 3, 2026 at the Hilton Paper Valley in Appleton. Watch for details.
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About Fox Cities Chamber
The Fox Cities Chamber captures the energy of one of Wisconsin’s most dynamic regions and transforms it into innovative programs and services for its business members. The Fox Cities Chamber serves all of the Fox Cities communities within the counties of Outagamie, Calumet and the northern portion of Winnebago. The Fox Cities Chamber plays a leadership role in regional economic development efforts in Northeastern Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.foxcitieschamber.com. About Blackline
Blackline is a full-service technology partner headquartered in Chicago with an additional office in Naperville, Illinois. Established in 1993, the company helps organizations transform their IT operations from reactive support functions into strategic assets that drive innovation, security, and growth. In 2025, Blackline acquired Midpoint Consulting to expand its leadership in AI consulting services—creating an end-to-end capability that unites technology infrastructure, data management, automation, and strategic enablement. Together, Blackline and Midpoint deliver the full scope of what’s needed to “turn on the electricity that is AI,” empowering organizations to operate smarter, faster, and more efficiently.
