AI investments failing to show ROI
New research finds AI cost‑saving efforts are stalling without clear ROI—organizations are struggling to translate AI spend into measurable financial outcomes. Other data show productivity gains are uneven (only ~23% of UK firms report substantial AI productivity benefits), pointing to skills and governance gaps as the real bottleneck. ( )
Info-Tech Research Group published a vendor‑neutral blueprint titled "Cut Costs by Leveraging AI Solutions" to give IT, finance and business leaders a step‑by‑step framework for prioritizing AI initiatives that can deliver measurable savings. (infotech.com) Info‑Tech’s broader AI Trends 2026 analysis highlights a major gap — roughly 58% of organisations report some AI adoption while only about 19% have established AI governance — a disparity the firm links to missed cost‑reduction opportunities. (techintelpro.com) Snowflake’s recent research frames the problem as an execution gap rather than a technology shortfall, urging firms to move from pilots to production to unlock productivity at scale. (erp.today) Survey data from the British Chambers of Commerce shows 54% of UK SMEs are actively using AI but reports so far indicate limited impact on headcount or measurable operational savings. (britishchambers.org.uk) Deloitte’s 2025 survey of 1,854 executives found AI payback timelines are long: only 6% reported returns in under a year and just 13% saw returns within 12 months, underscoring extended time‑to‑value for many projects. (deloitte.com) Boston Consulting Group’s recent analysis notes nearly two‑thirds of companies report uncontrollable AI scaling expenses and roughly three‑quarters cite security concerns and challenges with unstructured data as barriers to realizing cost advantages. (bcg.com)
