A small group of businesses is capturing the majority of artificial intelligence’s economic benefits, according to new research from PwC, highlighting a widening gap between AI leaders and the rest of the market.
PwC’s 2026 AI Performance Study found that 74% of AI’s economic value is being captured by just 20% of organisations, suggesting that while many businesses are investing in AI, only a minority are translating those efforts into measurable financial returns.
The global study surveyed 1,217 senior executives across 25 sectors, focusing on the revenue and efficiency gains businesses are achieving from AI and how organisations are deploying the technology.
AI leaders are prioritising growth over efficiency
According to PwC, the companies seeing the strongest returns are using AI as more than a productivity tool.
Rather than focusing solely on cost reduction, top-performing organisations are using AI to drive growth, pursue new revenue streams and reinvent their business models.
The study found that leading companies are:
2.6 times more likely than peers to report that AI improves their ability to reinvent their business model
Two to three times more likely to use AI to identify and pursue growth opportunities linked to industry convergence
PwC said that identifying growth opportunities from industry convergence is the single strongest factor influencing AI-driven financial performance.
“Many companies are busy rolling out AI pilots, but only a minority are converting that activity into measurable financial returns. The leaders stand out because they point AI at growth, not just cost reduction, and back that ambition with the foundations that make AI scalable and reliable,” said Joe Atkinson, Global Chief AI Officer, PwC.
Joe Atkinson, Global Chief AI Officer, PwC.
Workflow redesign is key to stronger AI performance
The study found that leading organisations are also taking a more integrated approach to deployment.
Companies generating the strongest AI returns are twice as likely to redesign workflows around AI, rather than simply layering AI tools onto existing processes.
This suggests that business transformation, rather than isolated experimentation, is playing a critical role in achieving AI-related gains.
Automation is increasing across leading businesses
PwC’s research indicates that AI leaders are also adopting more advanced forms of automation.
Companies with the best AI-driven financial outcomes are:
1.8 times more likely to use AI to execute multiple tasks within guardrails
1.9 times more likely to operate AI in autonomous, self-optimising ways
2.8 times more likely to have increased the number of decisions made without human intervention
The findings suggest that businesses generating the greatest value from AI are moving beyond experimentation toward broader operational automation.
Governance and trust underpin AI success
The report also found that stronger governance frameworks are helping leading companies scale AI more effectively.
Compared with peers, AI leaders are:
1.7 times more likely to have a Responsible AI framework
1.5 times more likely to have a cross-functional AI governance board
As a result, employees at these organisations are twice as likely to trust AI outputs.
Gap between AI leaders and laggards may continue to widen
PwC warns that businesses failing to adapt their AI strategies risk falling further behind.
The firm said the divide between leaders and laggards is likely to grow as advanced adopters continue scaling proven AI use cases, learning faster and automating more decisions safely.
The findings suggest that future competitive advantage may increasingly depend not just on adopting AI, but on deploying it strategically across growth, operations and governance.
This article was produced by the editorial team at APAC Outlook and published as part of the Outlook Publishing global network of B2B industry magazines.
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