McKinsey: 65% of Companies Using AI Report Measurable ROI, Up from 35% in 2023

McKinsey's annual AI survey shows 65% of companies report measurable ROI from AI deployments, with an average return of $3.50 per dollar invested. The highest-ROI applications remain document processing (43% of companies), customer service automation (38%), and software development assistance (35%). However, only 22% have reached 'scaling' stage — moving from pilots to organization-wide deployment — citing change management (not technology) as the primary barrier. Companies with dedicated AI leadership report 2.5x higher ROI than those without.