Few companies are turning AI pilots into real business wins

January 27, 2026 3 min read

NTT DATA’s global survey of 2,567 executives shows only a small fraction of companies turn AI experiments into measurable growth and profits.

Table of Contents

Only a minority of companies are successfully turning artificial intelligence into real growth.

A global study reveals what they are doing differently.

In a landscape defined by the pressure to grow, innovate, and adapt, some organizations have already made decisions that are reshaping their future. While many are still experimenting with artificial intelligence, a select few are moving forward with clarity, focus, and tangible results.

NTT DATA has released its 2026 Global AI Report, a study identifying how a small group of companies is pulling ahead of the market through an effective combination of strategy and execution.

The report is based on a comparative survey of 2,567 senior executives across 35 countries and 15 industries.

Related Posts:

A Growing Gap

According to the analysis, only **15% of participating organizations** qualified as “AI leaders.” These are companies with clearly defined strategies, mature operating models, and highly focused execution. This group reports significantly higher levels of revenue growth and profitability compared to the rest.

As Yutaka Sasaki, President and CEO of the NTT DATA Group, summarizes:

“Responsibility for AI has already moved to the executive level and requires a cross-organizational agenda. Our research shows that a small group of leaders is leveraging AI as a strategic differentiator, accelerating growth and transforming how humans and machines create value.”

Purpose-Driven Strategy

The report highlights that leading organizations view AI as an essential growth engine and adjust their business strategies to harness its potential. Key characteristics include the alignment of corporate strategy with AI adoption and the ability to translate speed and strategic focus into superior financial returns.

These leaders concentrate their efforts on high-value domains where economic benefits are disproportionately large and redesign workflows end-to-end. They also generate a multiplier effect: initial investments produce early wins that can be reinvested and scaled.

Another differentiator is reinventing from the core of the business. Rather than adding isolated features, they rebuild core applications with AI integrated at the architectural level.

Pablo Sáez, Head of Data and Analytics Iberia, IO, LATAM and Consulting in Benelux & France at NTT DATA, notes:

“It is becoming clear that to unlock maximum value from AI, organizations must be willing to ‘disrupt themselves,’ rethink processes, break inertia, and implement operating models that until recently seemed impossible. This is not about taking blind leaps without regard for risk but following the path set by leading companies: well-defined strategies aligned with the business, operational maturity through holistic and secure governance, and focused, iterative execution.”

Execution That Scales

Beyond strategy, the report emphasizes that what sets AI leaders apart is their **execution capability**. These organizations build resilient technology foundations, empower people, accelerate internal adoption, and govern AI with a long-term vision, leveraging specialized partners.

Notable practices include designing scalable and secure infrastructures, localizing or relocating AI environments to ensure privacy or sovereignty, and removing structural limitations. They also use AI to amplify human talent rather than replace it.

Adoption is treated as a structured organizational change process, focusing on reducing internal resistance, supported by centralized governance models that strengthen corporate oversight and the role of Chief AI Officers (CAIOs).
Leaders also drive growth through external strategic alliances and results-oriented collaboration models.

Abhijit Dubey, CEO and CAIO of NTT DATA, Inc., states:

“Once business and AI strategies are aligned, the most effective action is to identify one or two high-impact domains and redesign them end-to-end with AI. Supporting this approach with robust governance, modern infrastructure, and trusted partnerships is the formula current leaders use to turn pilots into benefits and gain a competitive edge.”

The survey was conducted between September and October 2025 and included C-level executives, senior managers, and corporate leaders from sectors such as technology, manufacturing, financial services, healthcare, and consumer industries, among others.

You can download the 2026 Global AI Report here: a strategic guide for those leading with AI.