What To Know
- A new study reveals that the disparity in returns from AI investments is expanding at an alarming rate.
- Currently accounting for nearly a fifth of all AI-generated business value, these systems are expected to play an even bigger role in the next few years.
AI News: AI investment winners surge ahead while most lag behind
A new study reveals that the disparity in returns from AI investments is expanding at an alarming rate. Only about five percent of companies—referred to as “future-built” organizations—are managing to turn their AI spending into real business gains, while the vast majority remain stuck with little or no measurable return. Despite billions poured into artificial intelligence, nearly sixty percent of firms say their AI projects have brought minimal or no value at all. This AI News report highlights how the “value gap” between leaders and laggards is deepening rapidly, creating a structural divide that threatens to reshape entire industries.
Only a few visionary companies are capturing true business value from AI while most continue to fall behind.
Image Credit: AI-Generated
What sets successful companies apart
Future-built firms stand out because they no longer treat AI as a peripheral tool. Instead, they embed it directly into their business strategies, redesigning processes, workflows, and decision-making structures around AI-driven insights. These companies report up to 1.7 times higher revenue growth and 1.6 times greater profitability than others. They are also investing far more aggressively—committing over 25 percent more to technology budgets and dedicating a significantly larger share of those budgets to AI development and implementation.
One major factor propelling this new wave of success is the rise of agentic AI—autonomous systems capable of making independent decisions and performing complex tasks. Currently accounting for nearly a fifth of all AI-generated business value, these systems are expected to play an even bigger role in the next few years. Future-built organizations are already integrating agentic AI into areas such as customer support, logistics, and predictive analytics to drive performance and efficiency gains.
Why most companies are still struggling
The report makes it clear that technical limitations are not the primary reason for underperformance. Instead, weak leadership alignment, unclear objectives, and fragmented organizational structures are holding many firms back. In many cases, executives delegate AI strategies to middle managers without a clear long-term vision, causing disjointed and short-lived projects.
Another recurring issue is the obsession with isolated pilot projects rather than company-wide AI adoption. Businesses fail to invest in essential areas like robust data infrastructure, governance frameworks, and training programs to build a culture of digital literacy. This leads to a cycle of inefficiency—low returns discourage further investment, trapping companies in a downward spiral of missed opportunities.
The widening risk for global competitiveness
The growing imbalance in AI success threatens to leave many businesses and even entire economies behind. Companies outside the elite five percent risk becoming obsolete if they fail to evolve quickly. Experts warn that those delaying structural reform may never catch up as leaders leverage advanced AI to accelerate innovation, improve customer engagement, and streamline operations across sectors.
Some analysts have even cautioned about inflated valuations and overhyped expectations across the AI market, where speculative investments could lead to future corrections. However, for firms with genuine strategic integration, the technology continues to yield transformative outcomes.
A wake-up call for Thailand’s AI landscape
For Thailand, these findings should serve as an urgent wake-up call. Many local enterprises have started experimenting with AI but often lack the holistic planning and leadership commitment needed for sustained success. Businesses that want to remain competitive must view AI as a long-term strategic priority—supported by investment in infrastructure, workforce reskilling, and data governance.
Those that take bold steps now, especially by adopting agentic AI early, could position themselves as leaders in Southeast Asia’s digital transformation. Those that delay risk wasting resources on fragmented initiatives with limited outcomes. The message is clear: future-built success requires vision, integration, and relentless execution. Only then can Thai enterprises avoid being trapped on the wrong side of the AI divide.
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