A Gartner survey of 2,002 CIOs and technology leaders reveals that only 13 percent of companies report major or transformative returns from artificial intelligence. The findings, presented at the Gartner IT Symposium in Orlando, indicate that most organisations struggle to convert their AI spending into tangible business value. While 58 percent of CIOs are tasked with delivering cost savings through these tools, 51 percent expect AI to raise total operating costs for their tech stack. Furthermore, 44 percent of CEOs find it difficult to demonstrate AI-driven financial returns to stakeholders.
Analyst Alicia Mullery identifies a widening gap between the innovation race vendors are running and the outcomes race companies need to win. Successful firms decide early which projects are worth pursuing and which to shut down, even those already in production. They also plan proactively for how AI agents will reshape job roles. Despite this uncertainty, 75 percent of CEOs plan to increase their technology spending. Bloomberg CEO Vlad Kliatchko argues it is too early to measure AI’s economic payoff, noting his company invests because it believes this is the right moment.
- 58 percent of CIOs aim for cost savings via AI
- 44 percent of CEOs struggle to show financial returns
- 75 percent of CEOs plan to increase technology spending
