ISG study finds enterprises struggle to convert AI adoption into business value
III•ISG flags widening AI value gap
ISG research flagged a widening “AI value gap,” with enterprise AI adoption outpacing consistent business and financial returns in 2026.
A survey of 400 large-enterprise executives split firms into Value Realizers, Value Seekers and Value Warriors based on AI value conversion efficiency.
Survey highlights mixed gains and scaling friction
Decision quality gains rose 4.3% on average; new AI talent roles also increased 4.3%, while productivity improvements missed expectations.
Work remains 55% human-led; firms expect it to drop below 40% by end-2027 as autonomous AI nearly doubles to 13%.
Value Realizers reported workforce cuts at 48%; scaling still hits friction, with Value Warriors citing architecture complexity, technical debt and infrastructure limits.
