BCG says only 5% of companies are deriving value from AI. Here are the industries it says are getting it right. (www.businessinsider.com)

Boston Consulting Group’s 2025 study of more than 1,250 global firms finds only 5% are deriving meaningful financial and operational returns from AI, while roughly 60% report minimal benefit despite heavy investment. Industries with the highest “AI maturity” — meaning the ability to create value at scale — include software, telecommunications and fintech; lagging sectors include fashion and luxury, chemicals, and real estate/construction. BCG ties measurable “value” to revenue growth, cost reduction, cash-flow improvements and productivity gains across core functions such as R&D, sales & marketing, manufacturing and IT. BCG identifies five traits of the winning “future-built” companies: multi-year AI plans, C-suite leaders using AI daily plus appointed CAIOs/CDOs, co-ownership between business and IT, deliberate workflow redesign, and strong tech/data foundations. Nearly 90% of winners expect most value from reshaped processes (e.g., AI vision monitoring restaurant operations), >60% rigorously track AI value, and winners plan to upskill ~50% of employees on AI this year versus ~20% at laggards. Technically, top performers combine pre-built and custom models and enforce enterprise-wide data policies and governance. The report’s implication is clear: converting models into shareholder returns requires workflow reinvention, governance, strategic workforce planning and robust data architecture — not just model deployment.