'Minority' of firms turn AI efforts into measurable financial return

PwC Ireland chief technology leader David Lee said: 'Many companies are busy rolling out AI pilots, but only a minority are converting that activity into measurable financial returns'.

While numerous companies are rolling AI out into their operations “only a minority are converting that activity into measurable financial returns”, professional services firm PwC has said, adding that the gap “is likely to widen” without a shift in approach.

According to its 2026 AI performance study, three-quarters, 74%, of the “economic value” created by AI tools is being captured by just 20% of organisations. AI-driven performance was measured as the revenue and efficiency gains attributable to AI, adjusted against industry medians.

PwC said the companies that say they are benefiting most from AI are “focused on growth, not just productivity”. It said these companies are “twice as likely to redesign workflows to incorporate AI” and nearly three times more likely to increase the number of decisions made “without human intervention”.

It added that the companies that are seeing the best returns from AI are also the ones that invest the most in the tools, two and a half times more than others.

PwC Ireland chief technology leader David Lee said: “Many companies are busy rolling out AI pilots, but only a minority are converting that activity into measurable financial returns”.

“The leaders stand out because they point AI at growth, not just cost reduction, and back that ambition with the foundations that make AI scalable and reliable.”

“Without a shift in approach, the performance gap between AI leaders and laggards is likely to widen further as leading companies continue to learn faster, scale proven use cases, and automate decisions safely at scale.”

PwC’s study is based on a survey of 1,217 senior executives around the world including Ireland from companies across 25 sectors and multiple regions worldwide.

A separate report from PwC from December last year found that only 10% of Irish workers are using generative AI tools daily, while 43% say they have used AI for their role in the past 12 months.

PwC said at the time that “frequent utilisation rates” of AI remains “low”, with the company suggesting that there is “ample opportunity for growth”.

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