AI Investments Shift from Hype to Pragmatism as Enterprises Focus on Long-Term Value
Event summary
- 38% of organizations have operationalized generative AI use cases, with 60% exploring agentic AI applications.
- Nearly half of Chinese organizations are piloting or deploying agentic AI, ahead of US and European counterparts.
- Organizations plan to allocate an average of 5% of their annual business budget to AI initiatives in 2026, up from 3% in 2025.
- More than half of CXOs use AI to support strategic decision-making, with expectations to double active usage within three years.
The big picture
Enterprises are moving beyond AI hype to focus on long-term value creation, prioritizing infrastructure, data governance, and workforce upskilling. The shift from productivity gains to broader ROI measures like revenue growth and customer experience signals a maturing market. Capgemini's research highlights the critical role of leadership in embedding AI across organizational decision-making processes.
What we're watching
- Governance Dynamics
- How clearer governance and accountability frameworks will impact AI-driven decision-making.
- Regional Disparities
- Whether China's lead in agentic AI adoption will widen the gap with US and European organizations.
- Leadership Readiness
- The pace at which executives will embrace public disclosure of AI-influenced decisions.
Related topics