How Leading Companies Are Transforming AI to Boost Profits
110Investments in artificial intelligence are growing rapidly worldwide. However, data from KPMG shows a widening gap between how much companies spend on AI and the real business value they get from it. Despite plans to spend an average of $186 million on AI in the next year, only a small fraction of organizations have fully deployed AI agents that drive major business results. Still, most companies see some benefits, with 64 percent reporting that AI is already helping their business. The challenge is turning small improvements into significant operational gains that improve profit margins.
Why Some Companies Are Outperforming Others in AI
KPMG highlights a clear difference between AI leaders and everyone else. The leaders are companies that are actively deploying and scaling AI agents across their operations. These organizations are rethinking how they work, not just adding new tools on top of old processes. Steve Chase, KPMG’s Global Head of AI and Digital Innovation, explains that spending more on AI doesn’t automatically create value. Leading companies are reimagining their workflows and using AI to change how decisions are made and work flows happen.
Among these AI leaders, 82 percent say AI is already delivering meaningful results. In contrast, only 62 percent of their peers report similar success. While that might seem like a small difference, it shows a big shift in approach. The top performers are not just using AI as a fancy tool; they are integrating it deeply into their processes to make them more efficient and effective.
How Top Companies Use AI to Drive Real Results
Leading organizations deploy AI agents that work across different functions without needing human intervention at every step. These agents coordinate tasks, analyze data in real time, and even flag issues before they become serious problems. For example, in IT and engineering, 75 percent of AI leaders use agents to speed up software development, compared to 64 percent of others. In supply chain operations, 64 percent of AI leaders use agents to improve logistics, versus 55 percent of their peers. These numbers show a focus on redesigning workflows to maximize AI’s impact, not just layering AI tools onto existing routines.
Most companies that have adopted AI tend to add models to their current workflows—like using a co-pilot or summarization tool—without changing the underlying process. This approach yields small, incremental gains. In contrast, top companies flip that model. They start by rethinking and redesigning their processes first, then deploy AI agents within those new workflows. This strategic shift results in much higher returns on AI investments and helps close the performance gap with the leaders.
Overall, the report suggests that the key to unlocking AI’s full potential is not just spending more money but adopting a different mindset. Companies that redesign their workflows and deploy AI agents to operate within those new structures are seeing more substantial results. The difference isn’t just about technology; it’s about how organizations approach change and innovation to boost margins and stay competitive.
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