- Tech and energy giants are among the biggest AI users, the report reveals
- The biggest users are also investing in data centers, chips, models and more
- AI is becoming concentrated among the largest enterprises, SMBs may struggle with ROI
New data from the AI-Driven Enterprise Institute (AIDE Institute) has revealed that even the best AI adopters are not necessarily seeing the most tangible and meaningful ROI.
According to the report, Nvidia is one of the highest adopters of AI, although it is best known for shipping AI products and services.
According to the analysis of job postings, patent applications, earnings call discussions and other disclosures, it appears that operations, software, R&D and engineering are all benefiting from the technology.
ROI from AI can take years
Although technology-first companies such as SLB, Amazon and Meta were also among the highest adopters, the research also shows how the technology is becoming more and more ingrained in other sectors.
For example, Walmart has used AI to improve inventory forecasting, supply chain management, delivery optimization and customer service, while energy companies such as AES Corporation, NextEra Energy and Chevron have used it to help with grid management, energy forecasting and predictive maintenance.
Yet AIDE warns that even these top adopters are not seeing huge returns as promised, arguing that infrastructure upgrades, staff retraining and business process reformulation are all slowing transformation.
In addition, the research highlights how the biggest investors in AI are also investing heavily in data centers, AI chips, network infrastructure and model development, suggesting they are ahead of the technology and that non-tech companies may see even slower returns.
Ultimately, the data points to AI becoming a concentrated effort among the largest companies with the largest sources of capital and technical capabilities.
As small businesses in particular are still unsure how best to invest in AI, it’s clear that we still don’t know exactly where it can help and where it can deliver the best returns.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews and opinions in your feeds.
