AI investment boom — where's the ROI?
Global AI investment has surged (cited as a $258B boom) but many firms are struggling to convert spending into measurable productivity gains — UK studies show under 25% of businesses see clear uplift. That gap means FP&A must demand ROI‑linked pilots and tag every AI initiative to EBITDA and working‑capital metrics. ( )
OECD analysis found AI companies captured 61% of global venture capital in 2025 and that share more than doubled from 30% in 2022, signalling where startup funding is concentrated. (oecd.org) A UK YouGov survey commissioned by Snowflake sampled 500 senior decision‑makers and reported only 23% of organisations have achieved AI productivity gains at scale while 45% say benefits remain experimental; 99% expect to hold or raise AI budgets over the next 12–24 months. (erp.today) Snowflake’s March 10, 2026 global report “The ROI of Gen AI and Agents” found organizations report roughly $1.49 of benefit for every $1 invested, yet it also flagged that 96% still face major data‑quality, skills or legacy‑system barriers. (businesswire.com) BCG’s June 2025 survey of more than 280 finance executives found median reported ROI from AI in finance is about 10%, with only 45% of executives able to quantify ROI and one‑third of initiatives delivering limited or no gains. (bcg.com) McKinsey analysis cited across industry coverage shows early adopters using AI in supply‑chain planning have cut logistics costs by about 15%, reduced inventory by as much as 35% and improved service levels by roughly 65%—figures useful for translating pilots into working‑capital outcomes. (inboundlogistics.com) CPG‑sector case studies demonstrate measurable working‑capital wins: a retailer using AI cut inventory days by more than 11% in five months, and a Fortune‑100 CPG reported over $5 million of working‑capital release after AI‑led inventory optimization. (invent.ai) Practitioner playbooks for FP&A recommend governance‑backed, ROI‑linked pilots: mandate pre‑AI baselines and TCO calculations, map operational deltas to EBITDA and cash flow, and track KPIs such as forecast‑error reduction, scenario cadence, and days‑of‑inventory to make board‑ready cases. (centida.com)
