AI on the Board: Why Only 12 Percent Benefit

07.06.2026

5 min read

Boards are investing, but the returns aren’t materializing. In the latest PwC survey of 4.454 CEOs, 56 percent say their AI spending has neither boosted revenue nor cut costs so far. Only one in eight sees both outcomes from their projects. The question in the boardroom is no longer whether AI is coming, but why these investments still aren’t translating into measurable results for most.

Key Takeaways

Returns are still missing. 56 percent of CEOs see neither increased revenue nor lower costs from their AI investments so far. Only 12 percent achieve both.
Early movers are laying the groundwork. The successful minority is deploying AI broadly across the business, with around 44 percent integrating it into their own products compared to just 17 percent of the rest.
Confidence drops, pressure mounts. Only 30 percent expect revenue growth, down from 56 percent in 2022. At the same time, 34 percent of German CEOs view themselves as highly exposed to cyber risks.

Lots of Pilots, Little Profit

The figures from the 29th PwC CEO Survey paint a sobering picture. 30 percent of board members report higher revenue from AI, and 26 percent cite reduced costs. But the majority, 56 percent, see neither effect so far. AI has reached the boardroom, but the return on investment has not.

This aligns with what CIOs have been reporting from the engine room for months: the leap from pilot project to reliable production operations rarely succeeds. Isolated, tactical AI initiatives deliver measurable value only in rare cases. Where models run as experiments alongside the core business, they remain cost centers with little more than demo appeal.

What is the PwC Global CEO Survey? The Global CEO Survey is an annual poll of chief executives conducted by the audit and advisory network PwC. The 29th edition, released in early 2026, draws on responses from 4.454 CEOs across 95 countries and is regarded as one of the broadest sentiment indicators in global corporate leadership.

What Makes the 12 Percent Different

More interesting than the average is the top group. That one-eighth of companies that simultaneously generates more revenue and lower costs through AI does not differ due to a better model, but due to maturity in implementation. These pioneers have laid the groundwork: a data environment that allows AI integration, a clear roadmap instead of scattered individual projects, and established processes for responsible AI use.

12 %

of CEOs currently derive both additional revenue and lower costs from AI. The rest invest without seeing returns yet.

Source: PwC 29th Annual Global CEO Survey, 2026

The difference becomes visible in the breadth of application. In the top group, 44 percent apply AI to their own products, services, and customer experiences, while it’s only 17 percent for the rest. Those who treat AI not as a tool for the IT department, but bring it into the product and value creation, also see it reflected in the balance sheet. The technology is rarely the bottleneck; the organizational embedding is.

Confidence in Retreat

The pressure on returns meets an already subdued mood. Only 30 percent of CEOs are confident their revenue will grow in the next twelve months. This figure was still at 56 percent in 2022. Geopolitical uncertainty, economic concerns, and cyber risks all contribute to the same caution, and a third of respondents say the geopolitical situation is holding them back from making larger investments.

For AI, this is a delicate combination. Especially when budgets become more cautious, it becomes harder to invest in the data foundation and embedding that distinguish the pioneers from the rest. Those who now cut broadly are saving precisely where the return would actually begin. The board thus faces the task of organizing frugality and targeted investment at the same time.

What This Means for German Executives

In the DACH region, a second tension comes into play. While AI returns are still pending, the threat level is rising. 34 percent of German CEOs assess their company as highly or extremely exposed to cyber threats, compared to just 16 percent in the UK. Those who integrate AI deeper into the business increase the attack surface and must think about security and governance upfront, not retroactively.

At the same time, the survey shows that stagnation is costly. 42 percent of CEOs have expanded into new industries in the past five years, and the analysis links a higher revenue share from new sectors with better margins and greater growth confidence. For the board, this means an uncomfortable dual challenge: turning AI from isolated pilots into an embedded capability, while simultaneously factoring in the risks that this step entails. The 12 percent are no accident – they are a decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do so few CEOs see a return on AI?

Because many companies remain stuck at isolated pilot projects. Measurable value emerges according to the survey only when AI is widely and strategically applied across the business, supported by an appropriate data environment and clear processes.

What differentiates the 12 percent pioneers from the rest?

They have laid the foundations and apply AI significantly more broadly, with about 44 percent in their own products compared to 17 percent for the rest. The advantage lies in organizational embedding, not in better technology.

How is CEO confidence faring?

It has declined. Only 30 percent expect revenue growth in the next twelve months, compared to 56 percent in 2022. Uncertainty around the economy, geopolitics, and cyber risks is pressing down on expectations.

Why is the topic particularly relevant for German board members?

Because 34 percent of German CEOs see themselves as highly or extremely cyber-exposed, more than double the number in the UK. A broader use of AI increases this attack surface, so security and governance must be part of the same decision.

What should the board do specifically now?

Bring AI out of the experimental phase: create a data foundation and roadmap, integrate AI into products and core processes, and think about security from the beginning. The successful minority shows that the return follows the anchoring, not the individual pilot project.