UK firms embrace AI but most yet to see clear payback

A survey of 500 UK business leaders found that most organisations now use artificial intelligence, but relatively few report financial returns from their spending on the technology.

The study, commissioned by digital product studio Studio Graphene and carried out by Censuswide, found that 78% of businesses use AI in some capacity. It also found that 31% of AI users have seen a positive return on investment.

The results add to the debate over whether corporate adoption of AI is outpacing organisations' ability to measure impact, control costs, and embed the technology into day-to-day work. They also suggest many programmes remain in the early stages, with outcomes still unclear for a large share of adopters.

Adoption levels

Mid-sized organisations reported the highest level of AI use. Among companies with 100 to 249 employees, 85% said they use AI tools-the highest share of any group in the research.

Beyond current users, 14% of respondents said their organisations are exploring options or plan to implement AI. Another 8% said they are not using AI and have no plans to.

The research did not specify which AI tools businesses are using, or whether usage is limited to small teams or deployed across departments. It also did not break down adoption by sector, which can influence both the type of AI deployed and how quickly benefits become measurable.

Return on spend

Despite high adoption, the survey points to patchy evidence of financial benefit. Fewer than a third of AI users said they have recorded a positive return on investment so far.

Among the rest, 18% said AI projects have not delivered the benefits they expected, while 16% said it was too early to tell. The figures suggest many organisations are still assessing performance, or that initiatives have yet to translate into measurable outcomes.

AI spending is often spread across software licences, cloud infrastructure, security controls, data preparation, external consulting, and internal training. Organisations also face indirect costs, such as time spent testing tools and revising processes. The study does not quantify spend, but it highlights a gap between uptake and reported payoff.

Success criteria

The research also suggests many businesses have not set clear benchmarks for what AI should achieve. It found that 41% of AI users implemented AI without defining what "success" looks like.

Even among mid-sized businesses, which reported the highest adoption rate, fewer than half said they can define success. In that group, 46% reported a clear definition, leaving a majority without one.

That lack of clarity can complicate governance and procurement decisions. It can also make it harder to decide whether a tool should be expanded, replaced, or retired. When teams deploy AI for different reasons, measurement can become fragmented across departments and functions.

Boardroom pressure

Studio Graphene said many organisations are moving quickly in response to heightened interest in AI and a growing range of tools.

"Many organisations are at a critical point in their AI journey. Adoption has skyrocketed in the past year, particularly among mid-sized businesses, but our research clearly shows just how much progress is required for AI projects to be successful," said Ritam Gandhi, director and founder of Studio Graphene.

Gandhi linked the results to how organisations frame projects at the outset and how they integrate AI into existing ways of working.

"There has been a rush to adopt AI amidst huge hype and a proliferation of new tools - this is certainly true of private equity-backed mid-sized companies looking to AI for automation, scalability and competitive edge. The problem, however, comes when AI is deployed without first defining where it sits within workflow, the decisions it'll inform, the processes it'll support, and the criteria for measuring success - often teams haven't agreed whether AI is meant to save time, improve decision quality, reduce risk, support growth or all of the above. "It's a really important issue that threatens progress. Without defining these things, building a long-term business case for AI and realising its value will be difficult. At board level, frustration will grow without a clear picture of how and why AI is being used, and to what effect. It underlines the need for rigorous planning for any AI transformation project, not just in selecting the right tools, but in defining the broader strategy, implementation and criteria for success," said Gandhi.

The survey was conducted among managers, directors, C-suite executives, and business owners at UK-based organisations. It aimed to capture the views of senior decision-makers who influence technology investment and operational change.

The findings suggest AI adoption is becoming mainstream in UK business. They also point to unresolved questions about outcomes, measurement, and decision-making as organisations expand use of the technology.