University of Kwazulu-Natal

The Truth About Ai Hype And How Leaders Are Turning It Into Roi

Bonisiwe Shabane
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the truth about ai hype and how leaders are turning it into roi

I think that the capability that AI gives organizations and non-technical people mm-hmm . To make a difference in what they're doing without having to rely on an IT team is not hyped enough, right? The idea that we can get people all across our business operating more efficiently without having to go and get a ton of money to run a big initiative and depend on it and... If You're making technology decisions that impact people budgets and outcomes, you're in the right place. Welcome to Insight on the podcast for leaders who need technology to deliver real results.

No fluff, no filler, just the insight you need before your next big decision. Hi, I'm your host, Jillian Weiner, and today I'm joined in the studio with Jeremy Hodge. Well, Jeremy, thanks for joining me here today. Yeah, glad We were at Ignite what feels like a long time ago. It was only a couple weeks ago.

That's right. Yep. We took the advantage not just to hear what was going on with Microsoft, but really just to sit down with experts from insight from Microsoft, from other partners, and even a couple clients,... Yep. Um, but it was really fascinating because I remember the drive from the airport to the venue. Billboard after Billboard was an AI focused ad.

Yep. Then you get to the venue and booth after booth. It's ai, Everywhere, more AI messaging everywhere. Um, and I think more than anything, my biggest takeaway was that the conversation very much is AI centered, but it is still feels like it's so much hype. I think we saw that with all the messages and what people were saying.

Everyone's talking about ai, you can't escape it, but a lot of uncertainty of what do we actually do to drive real business outcomes. So I thought a lot of discussions we had with, you know, various leaders and our partners, um, and the clients really reinforced like, what are the steps you need to take to actually... To listen to explicit episodes, sign in. Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates. Hilary Kerner, Mike Morgan, Bijah Gibson, Sunny Wang Jillian Viner - Insight, Alex Mooney - Logitech & Julie Sanford - Microsoft AI isn’t a technology of tomorrow—it’s the competitive advantage of today.

From boardrooms to back offices, generative AI has captured the imagination of executives across industries. Yet despite the excitement, the path from hype to measurable ROI remains elusive for many organizations. According to McKinsey’s 2025 report, The State of AI, companies that redesign workflows and embed governance around generative AI are already seeing significant EBIT gains, but the reality is many organizations struggle to successfully... The economic potential remains vast, but the real differentiator is how companies operationalize AI to capture that value. This article is the first in a three-part series from Susan Michl —Chief of Staff and Client Executive, Life Science & Healthcare, designed to help organizations move from exploration to execution. In Turning AI Hype into Real ROI: The Readiness Playbook for Business Leaders we’ll explore the three essential pillars of AI readiness—data, people, and processes—and how each contributes to sustainable success.

True AI success isn’t about deploying the newest tools or models. It’s about ensuring your organization is ready across these three interdependent dimensions. When those pillars align, AI shifts from being a promise to becoming a measurable performance driver. Whether you're just starting or scaling enterprise-wide, this playbook will help you: “Don’t start with what AI can do. Start with what your business needs to do better.”

That quote captures the most important lesson I’ve learned from working closely with dozens of organizations implementing AI. While the headlines obsess over the latest breakthroughs in generative AI or agent-based models, the real question executives should be asking is: How will this help us solve the problems that matter most to... We’re at a turning point. AI is no longer confined to innovation labs or proof-of-concepts. It’s being embedded in operations, products and customer experiences across every industry. But for all the excitement, many companies are still struggling to extract real value.

Too many AI initiatives start with the tools, not the outcomes. And when that happens, hype overwhelms impact. I want to share what I’ve seen work — and not work — when it comes to driving ROI from AI investments. I’ll draw from real-world customer experiences, third-party research and my own observations, helping organizations align AI to business goals. The good news? When companies focus on outcomes, not just algorithms, AI delivers extraordinary returns.

AI can be a powerful enabler, but only when deployed with intention and purpose. Too often, companies rush into AI projects without a clear problem to solve. The result? Initiatives that lack a path to production, are owned by no one and deliver little to no value. Most CEOs are facing the same problem: Early AI investments aren’t producing real return on investment. The companies pulling ahead are taking a different path.

CEOs keep raising the same concern: They know they need to move fast with AI, but their early investments—mainly copilots or AI “upgrades” inside existing apps—haven’t delivered meaningful return on investment (ROI). These tools are helpful, but they’re limited. They automate around the edges, stay confined to single applications, and hand the work back to humans at the most critical points. As a result, companies are spending millions on AI without seeing real transformation. Traditional software vendors promise AI enhancements, but what organizations get is more complexity, higher licensing costs, and the same siloed workflows they started with—just with AI layered on top. To unlock AI’s full potential, organizations must break from the traditional IT pattern of bolting AI onto existing systems.

The shift requires reimagining how work gets done, not just where AI gets inserted. AI agents make this possible by reasoning across systems, orchestrating actions end-to-end, and breaking down long-standing process and application silos. This is the foundation of an autonomous enterprise, a state where up to 80% of work is executed through automation and AI assistance. Here’s how enterprises can begin that transformation: The fastest path to AI ROI starts with what’s proven AI is everywhere — in boardrooms, conferences, and every second LinkedIn post.

Yet for many senior leaders, the real question isn’t what AI can do, but what it can do for us. If your current digital strategy feels outdated, you’re not alone. Many executives know they could do more with technology, but struggle to prove ROI or understand where AI truly fits. Studies show that fewer than 35% of companies achieve measurable ROI from AI initiatives, often due to poor alignment between people, process, and technology. This executive guide cuts through the hype and helps you see AI for what it is: a practical tool for clarity, efficiency, and smarter decision-making. AI success doesn’t begin with algorithms — it begins with alignment.

Too many organisations view AI as a silver bullet, but if your data is scattered, your systems don’t connect, and your teams lack confidence, AI will magnify the problem rather than fix it.

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I think that the capability that AI gives organizations and non-technical people mm-hmm . To make a difference in what they're doing without having to rely on an IT team is not hyped enough, right? The idea that we can get people all across our business operating more efficiently without having to go and get a ton of money to run a big initiative and depend on it and... If You're making technology...

No Fluff, No Filler, Just The Insight You Need Before

No fluff, no filler, just the insight you need before your next big decision. Hi, I'm your host, Jillian Weiner, and today I'm joined in the studio with Jeremy Hodge. Well, Jeremy, thanks for joining me here today. Yeah, glad We were at Ignite what feels like a long time ago. It was only a couple weeks ago.

That's Right. Yep. We Took The Advantage Not Just To

That's right. Yep. We took the advantage not just to hear what was going on with Microsoft, but really just to sit down with experts from insight from Microsoft, from other partners, and even a couple clients,... Yep. Um, but it was really fascinating because I remember the drive from the airport to the venue. Billboard after Billboard was an AI focused ad.

Yep. Then You Get To The Venue And Booth After

Yep. Then you get to the venue and booth after booth. It's ai, Everywhere, more AI messaging everywhere. Um, and I think more than anything, my biggest takeaway was that the conversation very much is AI centered, but it is still feels like it's so much hype. I think we saw that with all the messages and what people were saying.

Everyone's Talking About Ai, You Can't Escape It, But A

Everyone's talking about ai, you can't escape it, but a lot of uncertainty of what do we actually do to drive real business outcomes. So I thought a lot of discussions we had with, you know, various leaders and our partners, um, and the clients really reinforced like, what are the steps you need to take to actually... To listen to explicit episodes, sign in. Sign in or sign up to follow shows, sav...