Only a few companies today are realizing incredible value from AI, including rapid revenue growth and significant valuation premiums. Many other companies have also experienced measurable ROI, but the results are often modest: modest gains in efficiency, modest gains in production capacity, and general but unmeasurable productivity gains. These results not only pay for themselves, but also pay for themselves to some degree. However, they do not lead to change.
The image is starting to change. Using AI to drive transformative value remains challenging, and the technology continues to evolve rapidly. That hasn’t changed. But what is new is that success is becoming visible. Now you know what it’s like to use AI to build cutting-edge operating and business models. From mature systems to emerging tools such as AI agents, examples of impact are growing across strategy, operations, workforce, trust, technology stack, and sustainability.
Companies now have enough evidence to benchmark, measure performance, and identify levers to accelerate value creation both in business and in functions like finance and tax, enabling them to become more agile and grow faster.
So why is this kind of success, the kind that drives revenue growth and opens new markets, concentrated in so few companies? Often, organizations spread their efforts thinly and make small, sporadic bets. Because the AI feels easy to use, early wins can mask deeper challenges.
But to see real results, you need to select exactly the few places where AI can transform at scale in ways that matter to your business, and do so with steady discipline starting with senior leaders. If you succeed in your priority areas, the rest of your company can follow suit.
We’ve seen that discipline pay off.
