Who’s actually walking the AI walk? A new index names the S&P 500 leaders

Every company talks about artificial intelligence. But a new study from the AI-Driven Enterprise Institute (AIDE) reveals a wide gap between those simply mentioning AI and those actively weaving it into their operations. The AIDE Index, shared exclusively with CNBC, scores S&P 500 companies across four dimensions: literacy, advocacy, orientation, and implementation. The result is a single composite score out of 100, designed to give leaders a data-backed benchmark.

Topping the list with perfect 100s are Nvidia, Meta, Amazon, and energy giant SLB (formerly Schlumberger). Nvidia’s score reflects its central role as the chip supplier powering the AI boom. Meta and Amazon earned top marks despite being classified in different sectors. Walmart followed closely at 95.84, with utilities AES and NextEra Energy rounding out the top tier.

The index draws on public data—earnings call transcripts, job postings, patent filings—to measure not just executive chatter but actual investment and deployment. “When a board asks a CEO how they compare, I don’t want speculation,” said Paul Cheek, AIDE’s CEO and an MIT lecturer. “We need objective data.”

Cheek noted that many board members still have significant ground to cover in AI literacy, especially around risk management and strategic investment. The full ranking includes familiar names like Microsoft, Alphabet, Chevron, and PepsiCo, alongside surprising sector leaders such as Block (financials) and Axon Enterprise (industrials).