Generating Returns with Data and AI

Success Factors for the Journey from Pilot to Profit.
06/03/2026

We’ll start with a topic that’s currently on the minds of many companies: Artificial intelligence is no longer just a topic for the future. But in many companies, there’s a gap between recognizing AI’s potential and actually creating value. This is precisely the topic of a recent study published by Fraunhofer FIT in collaboration with Porsche Consulting: Generating Returns with Data and AI—Success Factors for the Journey from Pilot Projects to Profit.

 Three findings that particularly stand out to us:

  • Only one in five companies takes its AI applications beyond the pilot phase into productive use. Projects are launched, demonstrate potential, and then fizzle out.

  • The key barriers are not technical. Poor data quality, organizational silos, and a lack of expertise stand in the way of scaling up. 62 percent of respondents view qualified employees as the most important success factor.

  • Only 44 percent of companies actually measure the economic contribution of their AI initiatives using key performance indicators. Without measurement, there can be no control.

These findings apply not only to large corporations; particularly in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), where resources are limited and poor decisions have a tangible impact, the question arises: Where is it worth getting started, and how can you avoid the typical dead ends?

 If you see points of reference for your company in the study or would like to explore the topic further together, please feel free to contact us directly.