What percentage of companies see AI's impact on EBIT?

Only 37% of respondents say AI is having a meaningful impact on earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT), unchanged from a year ago.

What distinguishes 'AI high performers' from other companies?

AI high performers, the 6% of organizations that attribute at least 5% of EBIT to AI, are far more likely to have redesigned workflows—nearly three-quarters have done so, up from 55% last year.

AI Business & IndustryLarge Language ModelsFortune AI4d agoSep 2, 2026, 22:00 JST2 min read

AI Spending Surges, But Profits Lag, McKinsey Finds

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Key takeaway

A new McKinsey survey shows AI spending is up, but most firms see no profit gain.
Only 37% report meaningful EBIT impact, unchanged from last year.
High performers are redesigning workflows, not just adding AI.

3 Key Points

What happened
A McKinsey survey of 1,719 professionals and business leaders found that while 80% say AI has improved their individual productivity, only 37% report it has a meaningful impact on earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT)—unchanged from a year ago.
Why it matters
Companies are spending more on AI, with 60% of respondents expecting to increase AI investment next year, yet the financial payoff remains elusive for most. The survey highlights that "AI high performers"—the 6% of organizations attributing at least 5% of EBIT to AI—are more likely to have redesigned workflows (nearly three-quarters, up from 55% last year) rather than just adding AI to existing processes.
What to watch
The gap between large and small companies is widening. Among firms with over $1 billion in revenue, 54% are scaling AI enterprise-wide, and the share scaling AI agents in at least one function rose from 27% to 40% in a year, while smaller companies remained at 22%.

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Context & Analysis

The survey data suggests that simply pouring more money into AI does not guarantee financial returns. While individual productivity gains are widely reported, the translation to corporate profitability is rare, with only 37% of firms seeing meaningful EBIT impact. This stagnation, despite increased investment, indicates that many companies may be using AI in ways that don't fundamentally change their operations.

A key differentiator appears to be workflow redesign. The 'AI high performers' are those that have rethought their processes rather than layering AI onto existing ones. This insight, coupled with the statistic that 20% of respondents say AI-related operating costs are already constraining use, suggests that the next phase of AI investment may need to focus on process innovation and cost efficiency, not just technology adoption.

Furthermore, the divergence between large and small companies is notable. Larger firms are scaling AI more aggressively, likely due to greater resources, which could widen competitive gaps. The rise in AI agent adoption among large firms indicates a strategic shift towards more autonomous systems, which may require even more substantial workflow changes to realize value.

FAQ

What percentage of companies see AI's impact on EBIT?: Only 37% of respondents say AI is having a meaningful impact on earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT), unchanged from a year ago.
What distinguishes 'AI high performers' from other companies?: AI high performers, the 6% of organizations that attribute at least 5% of EBIT to AI, are far more likely to have redesigned workflows—nearly three-quarters have done so, up from 55% last year.

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