Key Takeaways
What you need to know
Organizations generate the greatest AI value when they modernize legacy systems, integrate data, and embed AI directly into business workflows rather than using it as a standalone tool.
While most organizations are seeing productivity and efficiency gains from AI, relatively few have achieved large-scale business value because legacy infrastructure, disconnected data, and workflow challenges continue to limit adoption.
As companies move toward agentic AI, strong governance, clear guardrails, and redesigned business processes are becoming essential to safely scale AI and unlock long-term business impact.
Why do some AI initiatives soar while others stall? In this new study, Appian and Harvard Business Review Analytic Services surveyed AI decision makers to uncover key AI success factors. The findings are clear: AI is helping with efficiency but often failing to drive revenue. The path to success isn’t just about technology. It’s about legacy modernization and integration into processes.