New Data Shows That Only 31% Of UK Firms Report Positive ROI From AI

Almost 8 in 10 UK companies now use AI. Only a few are making money from it.

Research from Studio Graphene, based on a survey of 500 UK managers, directors and C suite executives carried out by Censuswide, found that 78% of businesses use AI in some form. In mid sized firms with 100 to 249 staff, that number comes up to 85%.

Usage is high. Financial return is low.

Why Are Most Firms Not Seeing A Return On AI?

 
Only 31% of businesses using AI said they have seen a positive return on investment from their spending. That means nearly seven in ten have not made clear financial gains so far.

The same survey found that 18% said their AI projects did not deliver the benefits they expected. Another 16% said it was too early to judge the outcome. When you add those groups together, more than a third of AI users either feel disappointed or cannot tell if the technology is paying off.

The issue may start with the fact that there’s no direction. Just 41% of AI users said they have defined what “success” looks like when they bring in AI tools. In mid sized companies, which lead usage at 85%, only 46% said they can define success. If leaders cannot describe what winning looks like, measuring ROI becomes difficult.

Boards that approved spending now face pressure. Money has gone out, but proof of value has not always come back in.

Are Businesses Spending Before Setting Targets?

 
Ritam Gandhi, director and founder of Studio Graphene, believes many companies rushed in without setting firm criteria for returns.

He said: “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.

“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.”

His comments go straight to ROI. If a company does not decide in advance how AI should save money or increase revenue, it cannot properly judge performance later.

What Does This Mean For Business Budgets?

 
The survey of 500 UK businesses shows a divide between enthusiasm and earnings. 78% use AI. Only 31% report positive ROI. That difference will influence how boards view future spending.

Private equity backed mid sized firms appear keen to bring in AI for automation and scalability, according to Gandhi. Those investments often come with expectations of fast financial returns. When those returns do not appear, patience can become thin.

AI is now common in UK offices. Profit from it is far less common. The next round of spending may depend less on hype and more on proving that AI can bring pounds back into the business, instead of simply adding new software into the building.