The Five Types of AI Investment and How to Capture Their Value
By
Baba Prasad
Summary
This Harvard Business Review article addresses growing corporate concern over disappointing returns on AI investments. It cites McKinsey's 2025 Global Survey showing 88% of organizations use AI but only 39% report any EBIT impact (typically under 5%). BCG found 60% of AI-investing companies generate no material value, with only 5% creating substantial value at scale. Deloitte's survey of nearly 2,000 executives shows satisfactory ROI on typical AI use cases remains elusive. The article introduces a framework of five distinct AI investment types, each with its own financial logic and strategic implications, to help leaders better capture value from AI spending.
Source
bskyThe Five Types of AI Investment and How to Capture Their Valuehbr.orgKey quotes
· 3 pulledMcKinsey's 2025 Global Survey found that 88% of organizations use AI in at least one business function, but only 39% report any impact on EBIT.
BCG's analysis reveals that 60% of companies investing in AI generate no material value, and only 5% create substantial value at scale.
Corporate leaders are starting to worry about the returns—or lack thereof—on their recent AI investments.
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