Despite significant investment in artificial intelligence (AI), many organizations fail to fully realize its value. Just 25% of enterprises have translated their AI investments into meaningful value, and as many as 95% of companies with generative AI pilot projects have failed to achieve ROI.
The truth is that organizations incur many hidden mounting costs when investing in AI technologies. Many of these lead to investments going unused, becoming underused, or being misaligned with business objectives. Learning how to estimate these costs—and avoid them—can prove invaluable to growing brands.
This article explains why decision-makers should audit their current AI investments, identify underperforming areas, and realign their approach to ensure that AI initiatives deliver measurable business value.
Failing to utilize AI investments is more than just inefficiency. The costs incurred can be significant. Here are six of the most common factors to consider, along with the associated dollar amounts.
1. Wasted Budgets
A study by IBM found that enterprise-wide AI initiatives had an ROI of 5.9% in 2023. Considering that those same AI projects required a 10% capital investment, this is a massive loss of resources that could have been better allocated elsewhere.
2. Low AI Literacy and Disconnected Decision-Making
Poor AI literacy can lead to poorer decision-making at work, ultimately increasing business costs. For instance, 66% of workers who use AI rely on generative AI material without critically evaluating it. This can result in expensive mistakes that cost businesses thousands.
Nowhere is this more evident than with consulting firm Deloitte Australia. A government report valued at $290,000 AUD was found to contain several AI-hallucinated sources and quotes, as personnel did not verify the facts. This resulted in widespread media coverage and a substantial refund to the client—all of which could have been avoided with higher AI literacy.
3. Fewer Happy Customers
With AI tools, sales teams expect their net promoter scores to increase from 16% in 2024 to 51% by 2026. Failing to invest in these tools up front could enable a competitor to take advantage, attracting your customers as a result.
4. Stalled Growth
Organizations that invest in AI solutions can see their ROI improve by 10% to 20% on average. Failing to leverage your AI investment to the fullest could cost your business up to 20% in additional revenue.
5. Underperforming Teams
Employee productivity may drop significantly or at least pale in comparison to that of those who use AI regularly. For example, a highly skilled worker's performance may increase by nearly 40% with generative AI. It can also enhance productivity by up to 66%—a boost that your organization may be missing out on with unused AI technologies.
6. Few Opportunities for Employee Growth
Four in five employees want to learn how to use AI, but fewer than two in five employers actually offer training. This can discourage existing workers and dissuade potential prospects looking for a job with development opportunities, thus increasing turnover.
One survey shows that 58% of employees are more likely to leave their employer if they don’t have access to professional development or continuing education opportunities.
You now understand the dangers of letting AI technology go unused. But is your organization truly letting it out to pasture? The best way to find out is to perform an AI investment audit. There are two ways to evaluate your current ROI:
To calculate your personal AI ROI, you must first evaluate your concrete financial data (i.e, your costs saved or profits gained). Next, consider its impact on your overall business. Are you seeing more productivity? Is employee or customer morale starting to grow? Combining the two will give you a better idea of whether your investments are performing.
Are you concerned that your AI’s ROI is low? Whether they’re past or present initiatives, there are still ways to maximize your investments. Don’t let cutting-edge platforms remain missed opportunities for your business. Here are tips to optimize your AI investment and improve your returns with better adoption rates:
There’s no question that modern AI mentors can unlock human potential in an intelligent adoption strategy. You can easily reduce costly inefficiencies and drive long-term, scalable growth at a fraction of the cost of traditional mentors.
The implementation process can take place within minutes:
Self-development becomes an ingrained habit, so you’re able to help yourself, your team, and your enterprise reap the benefits of AI mentorship.
The AI revolution isn’t just about technology—it’s about people. But your workforce can’t unlock AI's promise without the right tools, training, and support. It’s time to move beyond underused platforms and disconnected decisions. Empower your people, reclaim lost productivity, and create lasting value with AI that works for everyone. Are you ready to bridge the gap between AI potential and real-world performance?