A new study from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) reveals a widening gap between companies that are successfully leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to drive value and those that are struggling to make any meaningful gains.

The research found that only five percent of firms are achieving significant bottom-line value from AI at scale, while 60 percent are failing to generate any material value despite substantial investments in the technology.

“AI is reshaping the business landscape at an unprecedented pace,” said Nicolas de Bellefonds, a managing director and senior partner at BCG. “The companies that are capturing real value from AI aren’t just automating – they’re fundamentally reinventing how their businesses work.”

The Elite Group: Future-Built Companies

BCG identifies the top-performing organisations as “future-built” companies, which are not only succeeding but also creating a widening AI value gap. These companies generate 1.7 times more revenue growth and 1.6 times higher EBIT margins than their lagging peers.

Future-built companies have moved beyond isolated experiments to fundamentally reinvent their operations, driving shareholder returns through revenue increases and measurable workflow improvements.

The Challenge: Closing the Gap

The remaining 35 percent of companies are making efforts to scale up but admit they are not moving fast enough to keep pace. Future-built companies, having reaped early rewards, are now reinvesting their gains to pull even further ahead.

These companies plan to spend 26 percent more on IT and dedicate 64 percent more of their IT budget to AI in 2025, resulting in an overall AI investment that is 120 percent higher than their slower competitors.

The Role of Leadership

A key reason for the disparity between future-built companies and laggards is a failure of leadership. Among lagging firms, top management often delegates AI strategy to middle or lower management, fails to articulate a clear vision for value from investments, and spreads resources too thinly across disconnected initiatives.

The secret to success lies in a proven playbook followed by the leading five percent. These firms approach AI as a board and CEO-sponsored multiyear programme with ambitious, clearly defined targets.

In contrast, nearly all C-level leaders in future-built organisations are deeply engaged with AI, compared to only eight percent in lagging companies. They foster a model of shared ownership between business and IT departments, a practice they are 1.5 times more likely to adopt than their peers.

One senior retail executive told BCG that concentrating on senior sponsorship and ownership of AI benefits by the businesses creates the room for significant value creation.

The study highlights the urgent need for companies to close the AI value gap and adapt to the rapidly changing business landscape. By adopting a proven playbook and embracing a culture of shared ownership, companies can unlock the full potential of AI and drive meaningful value.

As the gap between leaders and laggards continues to widen, one thing is clear: only those who are willing to adapt and innovate will thrive in an AI-driven world.

By understanding the secrets of future-built companies and embracing a culture of shared ownership, organisations can begin to close the AI value gap and unlock the full potential of this powerful technology.

As the business landscape continues to evolve at breakneck speed, one thing is certain: only those who are willing to adapt and innovate will succeed in an AI-driven world.

The question is, which side of the gap will your organisation fall on?

Inspired by

• https://www.artificialintelligence-news.com/news/value-gap-ai-investments-widening-dangerously-fast/

Sources

• bcg.com