AI Maturity Emerges as Key Driver of ROI, New Protiviti Study Finds
Protiviti (NYSE:RHI) has released its AI Pulse Survey findings, revealing a strong correlation between AI maturity and ROI. The study, which surveyed over 1,000 respondents across various industries, identified five stages of AI maturity: Initial (19%), Experimentation (32%), Defined (21%), Optimization (20%), and Transformation (8%).
Key findings show that by Stage 5, 95% of organizations report high satisfaction with AI investments, and 75% exceed ROI expectations. Major challenges include system integration, use case identification, skilled resource shortage, and data accessibility. Different departments prioritize varying success metrics, with sales focusing on cost savings (75%) and customer satisfaction (54%), while compliance leaders emphasize employee satisfaction (84%).
Protiviti (NYSE:RHI) ha pubblicato i risultati del suo sondaggio AI Pulse, evidenziando una forte correlazione tra la maturit脿 dell'IA e il ritorno sull'investimento (ROI). Lo studio, che ha coinvolto oltre 1.000 partecipanti provenienti da diversi settori, ha identificato cinque fasi di maturit脿 dell'IA: Iniziale (19%), Sperimentazione (32%), Definita (21%), Ottimizzazione (20%) e Trasformazione (8%).
I risultati chiave mostrano che alla Fase 5, il 95% delle organizzazioni riporta un'alta soddisfazione per gli investimenti in IA e il 75% supera le aspettative di ROI. Le principali sfide includono l'integrazione dei sistemi, l'identificazione dei casi d'uso, la carenza di risorse qualificate e l'accessibilit脿 ai dati. I diversi reparti danno priorit脿 a metriche di successo differenti: le vendite si concentrano sul risparmio dei costi (75%) e sulla soddisfazione del cliente (54%), mentre i responsabili della conformit脿 pongono l'accento sulla soddisfazione dei dipendenti (84%).
Protiviti (NYSE:RHI) ha publicado los resultados de su encuesta AI Pulse, revelando una fuerte correlaci贸n entre la madurez de la IA y el retorno de la inversi贸n (ROI). El estudio, que encuest贸 a m谩s de 1,000 participantes de diversas industrias, identific贸 cinco etapas de madurez de la IA: Inicial (19%), Experimentaci贸n (32%), Definida (21%), Optimizaci贸n (20%) y Transformaci贸n (8%).
Los hallazgos clave muestran que en la Etapa 5, el 95% de las organizaciones reportan alta satisfacci贸n con las inversiones en IA, y el 75% supera las expectativas de ROI. Los principales desaf铆os incluyen la integraci贸n de sistemas, la identificaci贸n de casos de uso, la escasez de recursos calificados y la accesibilidad a los datos. Los distintos departamentos priorizan diferentes m茅tricas de 茅xito: ventas se enfocan en el ahorro de costos (75%) y la satisfacci贸n del cliente (54%), mientras que los l铆deres de cumplimiento destacan la satisfacci贸n de los empleados (84%).
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Protiviti (NYSE:RHI) a publi茅 les r茅sultats de son enqu锚te AI Pulse, r茅v茅lant une forte corr茅lation entre la maturit茅 de l'IA et le retour sur investissement (ROI). L'茅tude, qui a interrog茅 plus de 1 000 r茅pondants dans divers secteurs, a identifi茅 cinq 茅tapes de maturit茅 de l'IA : Initiale (19 %), Exp茅rimentation (32 %), D茅finie (21 %), Optimisation (20 %) et Transformation (8 %).
Les r茅sultats cl茅s montrent qu'脿 l'茅tape 5, 95 % des organisations d茅clarent une grande satisfaction vis-脿-vis des investissements en IA, et 75 % d茅passent les attentes en mati猫re de ROI. Les principaux d茅fis incluent l'int茅gration des syst猫mes, l'identification des cas d'usage, la p茅nurie de ressources qualifi茅es et l'accessibilit茅 aux donn茅es. Les diff茅rents d茅partements privil茅gient diverses m茅triques de succ猫s : les ventes se concentrent sur les 茅conomies de co没ts (75 %) et la satisfaction client (54 %), tandis que les responsables conformit茅 mettent l'accent sur la satisfaction des employ茅s (84 %).
Protiviti (NYSE:RHI) hat die Ergebnisse seiner AI Pulse-Umfrage ver枚ffentlicht und eine starke Korrelation zwischen KI-Reifegrad und ROI aufgezeigt. Die Studie, die 眉ber 1.000 Befragte aus verschiedenen Branchen einschloss, identifizierte f眉nf Stufen der KI-Reife: Initial (19%), Experimentieren (32%), Definiert (21%), Optimierung (20%) und Transformation (8%).
Wichtige Erkenntnisse zeigen, dass in Stufe 5 95 % der Organisationen eine hohe Zufriedenheit mit KI-Investitionen melden und 75 % die ROI-Erwartungen 眉bertreffen. Zu den Hauptproblemen z盲hlen Systemintegration, Identifikation von Anwendungsf盲llen, Fachkr盲ftemangel und Datenzug盲nglichkeit. Verschiedene Abteilungen legen unterschiedliche Erfolgsmetriken zugrunde, wobei der Vertrieb Kosteneinsparungen (75 %) und Kundenzufriedenheit (54 %) priorisiert, w盲hrend Compliance-Verantwortliche die Mitarbeiterzufriedenheit (84 %) betonen.
- 95% of organizations at highest maturity stage report high satisfaction with AI investments
- 77% of Stage 2 organizations report meeting or exceeding ROI expectations
- Company launched new Protiviti AI Studio in Chicago for hands-on implementation support
- Survey reveals clear correlation between AI maturity and return on investment
- More than half of organizations haven't achieved full AI adoption benefits
- Only 8% of organizations have reached the Transformation stage of AI maturity
- Persistent challenges with system integration and data accessibility across all maturity levels
- Lack of skilled resources and unclear regulatory guidance hindering AI implementation
More than half of organizations have yet to achieve full benefits of AI adoption
The study polled more than 1,000 respondents across industries and geographies to understand how AI maturity, challenges and benefits vary based on where organizations stand on an AI adoption curve.
The survey segmented respondents by level of AI maturity across five stages from Initial to Transformation phases:
- Stage 1: Initial (
19% ) 鈥� Organization recognizes AI's potential benefits but has limited understanding and no strategic initiatives. KPIs have not yet been defined. - Stage 2: Experimentation (
32% ) 鈥� Organization has initiated small-scale AI projects and pilot programs to assess feasibility and benefits. - Stage 3: Defined (
21% ) 鈥� Organization has integrated AI solutions into existing business processes, enhancing operational efficiency and decision-making. - Stage 4: Optimization (
20% ) 鈥� Organization has enhanced AI systems for performance and scalability, with continuous improvements based on data feedback. - Stage 5: Transformation (
8% ) 鈥� AI drives significant business transformation at the organization, but more broadly for the industry or market at large.
"This survey offers clear insights on the true state of AI progress within companies 鈥� cutting through aspirations to reveal where they actually stand," said Christine Livingston, global leader, AI practice at听Protiviti. "To move beyond the experimentation phase and realize the value potential of AI, executives must radically redefine what success looks like, shifting their focus from immediate cost savings to strategic growth, revenue enhancement, and innovation. They should also tightly align their data strategies with core business objectives and prioritize building the robust capabilities essential for scaling AI effectively."
ROI Growth Tracks Closely with Organizations' AI Maturity听
Findings show a clear link between AI maturity and return on investment. Organizations often do not see quantifiable returns in very early stages but after advancing capabilities and fully integrating AI, organizations see demonstrable value.
- At Stage 2, ROI perceptions improve steadily as
77% report that returns met, slightly exceeded or significantly exceeded expectations. - By Stage 5,
95% of organizations report high satisfaction with their AI investments, and75% say AI is exceeding ROI expectations.
Challenges Persist Across Different Stages of AI Maturity
While AI adoption is growing, organizations across all maturity levels face barriers that can slow or stall progress. The most cited challenges, in rank order, include integration with existing systems, lack of understanding on most impactful use cases, lack of skilled resources, data availability and access, and lack of/unclear/conflicting regulatory guidance.
As organizations progress along the AI maturity curve, their top challenges shift:
- In Stages 2 and 3, as organizations educate themselves about AI's potential and begin experimentation, integrating with existing systems becomes the top focus, rising from
30% to37% . - By Stages 4 and 5, integration issues were cited as
28% and22% , respectively. Additionally, as organizations look to expand the capabilities of their AI solutions in later maturity phases, data access issues begin to dominate, with20% at Stage 4 and nearly29% at Stage 5 reporting data availability as their biggest challenge.
Redefining Success Across the Organization
Organizations define AI success differently depending on respondents' roles in the organization, underscoring the need for tailored AI strategies aligned to specific departmental goals.
- In sales,
75% of respondents prioritize cost savings while54% cite customer satisfaction as key success metrics. - Among compliance leaders,
84% point to employee satisfaction and80% emphasize productivity. - Finance teams take a more balanced view, with
57% valuing process efficiency,55% focusing on cost savings, and53% highlighting productivity.
"Organizations need to build momentum and experience with AI to progress through the stages and capture the most value," added
As organizations redefine what success looks like in AI 鈥� moving beyond experimentation to measurable business outcomes 鈥� innovation hubs play a critical enabling role in rapid prototyping, refining both the technical and functional approach to enablement. Protiviti's newly unveiled Protiviti 听in
The survey report is available for download . The is Wednesday, July 30 at 1 pm ET.听
Methodology
Protiviti launched its AI Pulse Survey in 2025 to gain insights into how enterprises across various industries currently use artificial intelligence and where they see growth opportunities and challenges. Each pulse survey is designed to cover a specific theme, such as AI readiness and ROI, data challenges, agentic AI, and operational and governance risks.
For the survey on AI readiness, Protiviti garnered more than 1000 responses globally from diverse industries including but not limited to technology, manufacturing, construction, and government. The respondents' primary job functions included IT, operations, finance, and compliance, among others.
About Protiviti鈥�
Protiviti () is a global consulting firm that delivers deep expertise, objective insights, a tailored approach and unparalleled collaboration to help leaders confidently face the future. Protiviti and its independent and locally owned member firms provide clients with consulting and managed solutions in finance, technology, operations, data, digital, legal, HR, risk听and internal audit through a network of more than 90 offices in over 25 countries.听听
Named to the 听for the 11th consecutive year, Protiviti Inc. has served more than 80 percent of Fortune听100 and nearly 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies. The firm also works with government agencies and smaller, growing companies, including those looking to go public. Protiviti Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of 听(NYSE: RHI).听听
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FAQ
What are the key findings of Protiviti's (RHI) 2025 AI Pulse Survey?
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