56% of CEOs report zero financial return from AI in 2026 (PwC survey, n=4,454)

6 hours ago

56% of CEOs report zero financial impact from AI, with no revenue gains or cost savings.
Only 12% of CEOs have successfully used AI to both cut costs and grow revenue.
Large corporations are stuck in 'Pilot Purgatory,' running isolated AI projects that don't deliver measurable value.
The successful 12% (Vanguard) deploy AI across more of their business, especially in revenue-generating areas.
44% of Vanguard companies apply AI directly to products and services, compared to 17% of others.
Solo founders have structural advantages over large enterprises in implementing AI quickly and effectively.
Key advantages include speed of implementation, full-stack integration, and no legacy infrastructure.
The AI Execution Gap represents the difference between experimenting with AI and deploying it effectively.
Three characteristics of Vanguard companies: building foundations, applying AI where revenue lives, and committing to workflows.
A 3-step roadmap for solo founders: automate repetitive tasks, reinvent the product with AI, and commit to building systems.

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