Only 13% of organizations scale AI as planned, BearingPoint survey finds

Every AI business case has a slide near the end where the thing goes everywhere. For most organizations, that slide is still a slide.

BearingPoint's study, released October 1, 2026, is based on "a global survey of 1,050 C-suite executives and senior leaders in 13 countries across Europe, the US and China." The research "was conducted through online interviews in August 2026." BearingPoint describes itself as a management and technology consultancy with "a strong focus on AI," so it sells the kind of help this study says companies need.

The headline line, in the release's words: "Only 13% have scaled their AI initiatives completely in line with the original business case." The release adds that "almost three-quarters have either adjusted the original scope or achieved less scale than anticipated."

The payoff is not the problem, by the same respondents' account. The release says "nearly three-quarters of organizations that have implemented AI already report measurable top-line or bottom-line impact." The value shows up. Repeating it across the business is the hard part.

By their own account it pays, and the plan for everywhere else gets revised. Anyone who has sat through the last slide will recognize the feeling.