tech
The growing divide between surface-level AI adoption and meaningful impact across safety-critical industries
Artificial intelligence has rapidly moved from experimentation to mainstream business adoption. Around 78% of organizations reported using AI in 2025, reflecting how quickly the technology has become embedded across business operations. Yet, only 25% of organizations said most of their AI initiatives achieved their expected return on investment, highlighting a growing gap between adoption and measurable impact. Against that backdrop, Dan MacDonald, founder and CEO of BIS Safety Software, believes many organizations assume they are embracing AI in meaningful ways when, in reality, they are only scratching the surface.
TL;DR
- 78% of organizations reported using AI in 2025, but only 25% achieved expected ROI.
- Many companies are superficially adopting AI, believing they are using it meaningfully when they are not.
- Deep AI integration transforms operations, automates complex processes, and enables new capabilities.
- Surface-level AI usage provides small efficiencies but does not fundamentally alter business operations.
- Competing executive priorities and cultural factors can hinder deep AI integration.
- Organizations should evaluate AI based on operational outcomes, not just adoption rates.
- BIS Safety Software uses AI for voice-driven form completion and accelerated course development, demonstrating measurable operational value.