EXL Study Reveals 76% of Firms Overestimate AI Progress, Only 10% Deliver Real ROI — ExlService Holdings, Inc.

Event summary

EXL’s 2026 U.S. Enterprise AI Study found 76% of companies believe they are ahead of competitors on AI, but only 10% meet the criteria of an AI Leader.
AI Leaders achieved 27% revenue growth, 26% cost reduction, and 22% margin improvement by reimagining core workflows.
44% of AI Leaders completely redesigned their enterprise-wide operating models to accommodate AI, compared to 23% of Laggards.
Data-readiness remains a massive challenge, with 70% of respondents citing data as a barrier to scaling AI.

The big picture

EXL’s study highlights a significant disconnect between perceived and real AI progress, underscoring that successful AI integration requires more than technology investment—it demands a fundamental transformation of operating models. This gap is particularly critical as industries like banking, insurance, and healthcare increasingly rely on AI to drive efficiency and growth. The findings suggest that companies lagging in AI adoption risk falling further behind as leaders continue to reimagine workflows and embed AI at the core of their operations.

What we're watching

Operating Model Transformation: How the pace of enterprise-wide operating model redesign will affect AI integration and ROI.
Data Infrastructure: Whether companies can overcome data-readiness challenges to scale AI effectively.
AI Leadership: The extent to which the 10% of AI Leaders can sustain their competitive advantage.