
New analysis from Cynozure reveals gaps in data and AI possession, measurement and accountability as leaders head into 2026. Because it stands, below two-fifths of AI leaders at present visualise the impacts of the know-how on their firms in phrases of foreign money.
2026 is seeing a landmark shift in funding priorities in the UK. After years of strain to get onboard the ‘revolutionary’ know-how of AI, outcomes stay muted at greatest. In the final yr, a string of studies counsel that firms could also be overestimating the ranges of innovation they’re attaining; and that they could not have the mechanisms in place to measure the precise returns on funding precisely.
In the meantime, a now notorious MIT research discovered fewer than one-in-ten firms investing in AI had loved a return on funding. And at the flip of the yr, PwC evaluation additional confirmed that 56% of CEOs now imagine they’ve seen “no profit” from funnelling funds into know-how.

Supply: Cynozure
It’s clear that if an organization goes to safe buy-in on future AI-transformation pitches, then, there’ll should be a change as to how leaders handle and quantify the precise materials impacts of the know-how. However at the same time as speak of an ‘AI-bubble’ persists into the new yr, a recent research of 60 senior data and AI leaders by Cynozure means that they’ve missed that memo.
Price range and useful resource constraints stay the largest blocker to future AI-adoption, in accordance with the research. A 25% portion of smaller organisations stated this was the main issue – and whereas bigger organisations stated they had been primarily extra more likely to be held again by legacy know-how, at 20%, 17% additionally cited an absence of govt or organisational buy-in. However the needed measures to safe that buy-in proceed to elude most.
A 30% portion of organisations don’t measure the worth of data and AI instruments constantly. Worse, solely 15% made the effort to quantify the impact of data and AI into pounds or dollars – leaving it unclear what impact hefty investments into these areas are literally value – and whether or not they’re really having a optimistic impact on enterprise efficiency. To point out that price range for AI investments is value prioritising nonetheless, and gaining or retaining govt buy-in, this has to change.

Supply: Cynozure
Jason Foster, founder and CEO at Cynozure, warned, “The problem now is just not whether or not organisations can use data and AI, however whether or not it’s making a significant distinction to the agency’s revenue and loss assertion. Many groups have invested closely in platforms, groups and experimentation, however nonetheless wrestle to proof impact. The organisations that pull forward in 2026 might be people who deal with data and AI as a portfolio of merchandise, tied to outcomes and measured with sturdy funding and business self-discipline.”
To that finish, Cynozure did discover that firms are starting to see the mild. Data tradition and literacy is the number-one precedence for 2026, cited by 43% of leaders, reflecting rising recognition that and not using a workforce that understands and trusts data, funding in analytics and AI is not going to ship impact. In the meantime, 38% stated they had been additionally prioritising enterprise intelligence and analytics platforms – which may additionally assist to spotlight efficiency positive factors ensuing from digital transformation tasks.
However to make sure that this materialises in a coherent and actionable manner, organisations might want to additionally rethink whose duty it’s to champion AI inside their agency. Cynozure additionally confirmed that AI technique possession stays fragmented, with 80% of organisations assigning data technique to the CDO or head of data, however solely 28% doing the identical for AI; regardless of widespread AI adoption. With 40% nonetheless cut up possession throughout a number of executives and 17% report no clear AI proprietor in any respect, it will seemingly proceed to restrict tempo, alignment and impact – even with larger levels of measurement for the know-how’s efficiency.
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