Bounteous, a digital transformation consultancy, has unveiled findings from its global study, “The AI Whitespace: Addressing Challenges to Unlock Potential,” highlighting how enterprises are adopting artificial intelligence (AI) and the barriers that continue to prevent enterprise-wide transformation.
The research, based on insights from over 300 global decision-makers across marketing and technology functions at enterprises with revenues above USD 500 million, reveals that AI adoption has moved beyond experimentation. An overwhelming 93% of companies report expected or higher ROI from their AI investments, with 50% saying returns exceeded expectations.
Despite these encouraging numbers, the study also notes that issues around governance, fragmented ownership, and knowledge gaps continue to limit AI’s full potential.
Key Findings from the Study
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AI delivering ROI at scale: 93% of enterprises say AI initiatives are delivering expected or better returns, with half reporting higher-than-anticipated ROI.
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Generative AI adoption widespread: 73% of enterprises use OpenAI, 70% leverage Google platforms, and 69% use Microsoft solutions. Additionally, 35% have built their own internal AI platforms. Overall, 95% of respondents rated AI adoption as important or very important, with 65% placing it as the top business priority for the next 12 months.
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Marketing leads in ROI: 59% of marketing leaders reported higher-than-expected returns, compared to 43% of IT leaders, reflecting easier adoption and scalability in marketing functions.
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Leadership optimism vs. reality: Executives are twice as likely as non-executives to describe their organizations as “Expert” in AI maturity, pointing to a disconnect between leadership perception and employee realities.
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Fragmented ownership: 46% of organizations place AI ownership with the CIO/CTO, while only 3% employ cross-functional taskforces or Centers of Excellence.
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Barriers to scaling: Top challenges cited include legal compliance, lack of AI knowledge, and lack of trust. Respondents identified governance, workforce enablement, and cross-functional collaboration as key solutions.
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AI priorities today: Most companies are focusing on embedded AI features (33%) and workforce productivity (30%). Longer-term investments in engineered AI (15%) and holistic strategies (22%) remain limited, leaving significant whitespace for broader transformation.
Industry-Specific Trends
The study analyzed AI adoption across seven sectors. Highlights from four key industries—Healthcare, Financial Services, Travel & Hospitality, and Retail/Consumer Dining—include:
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Embedded AI Features: Travel & hospitality leaders (44%) lead adoption, followed by financial services (39%), healthcare (32%), and retail (30%).
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Enabling Teams: Retail & consumer dining (34%) and healthcare (32%) prioritize workforce enablement with AI.
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Preparing for AI Evolution: Retail leads with 25% of leaders planning long-term AI strategies, compared to healthcare (20%), financial services (15%), and travel (14%).
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Engineering New Tools: Financial services (17%) and healthcare (16%) are ahead in building custom AI solutions, compared to travel (11%) and retail (11%).
Martin Young, Executive Vice President, Data & AI at Bounteous, said:
“The biggest AI breakthroughs are yet to be unlocked. Enterprises must treat AI as a long-term investment, balancing experimentation with governance, embedding innovation into the organizational fabric, and breaking down silos between teams. Those who delay risk falling behind, while those who commit now will be best positioned to capture sustainable, enterprise-wide transformation.”
