Wharton study: firms struggle to find measurable financial impact from AI spending
GaryMarcus · x · 2026-10-14
Gary Marcus flags a new Wharton/GBK Collective study (reported by The Information) surveying 1,400 US employees at large firms.
- 40% of managers measure AI by "hours saved per employee" and 37% by error reduction; only 27% track revenue generated from AI
- 44% expect AI's main role to be productivity over the next 1–2 years; just 8% say new revenue or products
- Study author Jeremy Korst says it remains "very difficult" to find "actual, materially measurable financial impacts" from AI spending
Marcus uses the findings to argue real financial returns from AI investment remain unproven.
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