Synthetic intelligence (AI) stays a high precedence for enterprise leaders worldwide in 2025. They’re strongly targeted on reaping tangible outcomes from their AI initiatives. This yr, one in three firms globally plans to allocate over $25 million to AI.
For the second yr, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)’s AI Radar world survey captured the temper of enterprise executives relating to AI. The findings revealed optimism and important challenges in realising AI’s full potential.
Within the newest version of the AI Radar report, titled: ‘From Potential to Revenue: Closing the AI Affect Hole,” BCG surveyed 1,803 C-level executives throughout 19 markets and 12 industries, together with South Africa, Nigeria and Morocco.
CEO of BCG, Christoph Schweizer, mentioned: “In my discussions with CEOs, it’s clear they’re prioritising AI to drive productiveness.
“Our newest survey uncovers a vital problem: whereas 75 per cent of executives rank AI as a high three strategic precedence, solely 1 / 4 report significant worth from their AI initiatives. Main AI adopters have cracked the code on attaining affect by specializing in a focused set of AI initiatives, scaling them quickly, remodeling core processes, upskilling their groups, and systematically measuring operational and monetary returns. Many firms have an immense alternative to shut the hole between their ambitions and actuality.”
The examine disclosed that main firms allocate greater than 80 per cent of their AI investments to reshaping core capabilities and inventing new choices. Compared, different firms focus 56 per cent of their AI investments on smaller-scale, productivity-focused initiatives. Leaders additionally set clear targets and observe top- and bottom-line affect. Nevertheless, 60 per cent of firms surveyed fail to outline and monitor any monetary KPIs associated to AI worth creation.
In Africa, as an illustration, 35 per cent of firms will not be defining and monitoring any monetary KPIs associated to AI worth creation. 62 per cent of those firms lack maturity in efficient AI organisational change administration, and 68 per cent have indicated challenges in hiring AI expertise and upskilling their present workforce.
Main firms deal with depth over breadth, prioritising a median of three.5 use instances, in contrast with 6.1 use instances for different firms. These firms anticipate producing 2.1 occasions larger ROI on their AI initiatives than their friends.
The examine famous that autonomous brokers might be a key consideration in AI transformation worldwide.It famous that brokers are autonomous AI programs that obtain targets utilizing instruments, analysing knowledge, and dealing throughout programs—with minimal human enter. Whereas nonetheless within the early days of deployment, 67 per cent of executives contemplate autonomous brokers as a part of their AI transformation, with optimism round brokers constant throughout geographies.
No less than 65 per cent of African firms surveyed have proven optimism concerning the position of AI brokers transferring into 2025, both exploring AI brokers or viewing them as taking part in a central or complementing position of their AI transformation. African executives see expertise and AI as complementary throughout all areas: 19 per cent see AI taking the lead, however people protecting oversight; 66 per cent see AI and people collaborating with complementary roles; and 15 per cent prioritise human expertise and utilizing AI solely when obligatory.
In accordance with the report, solely seven per cent of executives anticipate AI automation will result in an total lower in headcount.
Sixty-eight per cent of executives globally anticipate sustaining their present workforce measurement, specializing in enhanced productiveness and upskilling present expertise to satisfy AI calls for. That contrasts with the truth that fewer than one-third of firms have upskilled even 1 / 4 of their workforce—an enchancment from final yr, however nonetheless removed from the extent wanted to assist workers really feel safe in adapting to a know-how typically perceived as a job menace.
In Africa, the report confirmed that solely six per cent of executives count on AI to result in job losses. And, curiously, 37 per cent of those executives say that they see important worth in AI. That is supported by the discovering that 86 per cent of African firms are planning to extend tech investments in 2025, pushing for a extra disruptive utilization of AI, and prioritising investments in higher-impact areas.
Asia-Pacific (34 per cent) and Africa (31 per cent) lead in AI/GenAI upskilling, whereas the Center East (27 per cent) and South America (20 per cent) are falling behind.
In the meantime, 17 per cent of executives globally count on AI to reshape the workforce by introducing new roles to interchange redundant ones. Eight per cent foresee AI driving a rise in headcount, whereas solely seven per cent predict a discount in workforce measurement on account of AI automation.
World Chief of BCG X, Sylvain Duranton, mentioned profitable leaders undertake the 10-20-70 framework to unlock AI’s enterprise potential, allocating 70 per cent of their efforts to remodeling folks, processes, and tradition; 20 per cent to knowledge and know-how; and simply 10 per cent to algorithms.
“Nevertheless, two-thirds of firms face important challenges in reimagining workflows, driving cultural change, recruiting expertise, and upskilling their workforce. Guaranteeing the success of AI initiatives requires disciplined execution, a relentless deal with worth creation, and a workforce able to adapt and thrive in a quickly evolving surroundings,” Duranton.
Executives recognized knowledge privateness and safety (66 per cent), lack of management or understanding of AI choices (48 per cent), and regulatory challenges and compliance (44 per cent) as the highest three AI dangers to navigate. Cybersecurity is a crucial concern, with 76 per cent of executives acknowledging that their AI cybersecurity measurements require additional enhancements.
No less than 64 per cent of African executives surveyed have raised knowledge privateness and safety dangers, 37 per cent have highlighted the dearth of management or understanding of AI choices and 46 per cent are involved with regulatory and compliance challenges.
Curiously, the report revealed that 60 per cent of African firms surveyed are beginning to construct their geopolitical muscle, citing rules as an element of their AI adoption tempo. That is the best throughout the globe, adopted by North America (58 per cent), Europe (56 per cent), the Center East (54 per cent), APAC (52 per cent) and South America (45 per cent).
