Only 6% of companies see significant financial gains from AI

Only six per cent of companies qualify as high performers in artificial intelligence (AI), according to McKinsey’s 2026 State of AI survey. The report found that firms making the most progress are reorganising teams around products, customer journeys and business processes, which allows for faster decisions and clearer accountability.

The survey found that 80 per cent of respondents reported better individual productivity through AI. However, only 37 per cent reported a positive impact on earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT). Just 11 per cent of organisations had reached the stage of rethinking how work is done and how value is created through AI.

No single operating model

McKinsey said no one operating model guarantees success. Companies need to streamline workflows, cut unnecessary handoffs and shift resources quickly as priorities change. An effective model, it said, lets firms decide, share information and coordinate work with fewer management layers and manual processes.

The report also flagged the growing organisational complexity. Coordinator roles have grown at roughly 1.5 to 2 times the rate of line roles over the past five years. AI, it said, offers a chance to reduce this complexity rather than add to it.

While 70 per cent of respondents said they were personally ready for AI, only 27 per cent of leaders said their organisations were prepared for the changes needed for an agentic AI future.

The report concluded that the companies that gain the most value will not necessarily be those deploying the most AI agents or automating the most tasks. Success will depend on how organisations use AI to rethink value creation and make the necessary changes to work processes, talent management and leadership.