Since the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in late 2022, use of artificial intelligence (AI) has exploded within enterprises.
Partly fueled by AI executives’ promises about the technology’s transformative potential, and perhaps influenced by the fear of missing out (for instance, when IBM’s former CEO says, “AI will not replace humans, but those who use AI will replace those who don’t.”), AI’s adoption in the enterprise continues to expand at break-neck pace.
According to Stanford University’s most recent AI Index Report, 78% of organizations reported using AI last year, up 55% from 2023. Total AI spend amongst U.S. enterprises also grew sixfold to $13.8 billion in 2024, according to Menlo Ventures.
But amidst all the rapid adoption and big spending, a new report found that there is a disconnect between technicians and top leadership about AI’s return on investment. Worse still, there’s growing concern about unethical use and lack of oversight at companies who are implementing AI tools.
A disconnect with top brass
Solvd, an AI advisory and digital engineering firm based in Walnut Creek, California, surveyed 500 U.S.-based CIOs & CTOs at companies with at least $500 million in annual revenue between July 24 and August 4, 2025.
They found that 71% of respondents said leadership has “unrealistic AI ROI expectations.” Caught between conflicting demands — executives looking for fast returns on one hand, and the safe, ethical implementation of AI on the other — the report found that CIOs and CTOs are often put in impossible situations.
Most respondents (46%) said their biggest responsibility was developing business strategies to generate revenue with AI. Notably, just 33% said they were tasked with using AI to mitigate security and privacy risks.
“Treating AI purely as a cost-cutting tool misses the big opportunities. AI can only multiply what you already have, which means you need to have the right people and keep investing in those people,” Solvd’s CEO Adam Gabrault told Forbes this week.
Concerns of ethical use of AI
Perhaps more concerning, 97% of the top technical professional respondents said they’re concerned about unethical AI use at their companies, but just a third have oversight in place.
As the technology is still relatively new on the market, it is not surprising. In 2023, a Reuters investigation found that half of the UK’s largest companies “had no public code of conduct for AI.” What is concerning, however, is that this problem seems to persist a couple years on.
“Without proactive oversight,” wrote Solvd in a press release, “companies risk costly regulatory and reputational penalties once stricter standards inevitably take hold.”
In 2023, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, settled a lawsuit alleging that its AI-powered housing ads system violated the Fair Housing Act, and Wells Fargo is facing a class action lawsuit alleging that the bank’s algorithm discriminated against mortgage applicants.
“AI shouldn’t be a case of ‘adopt now, think about ethics later,’” Gabrault, Solvd’s CEO, said in a statement shared with The Sociable. “The most successful firms will be those treating governance as a strategic priority from the start. AI adoption must be both innovative and sustainable – it doesn’t need to be one or the other.”
Potential pullback on AI investments
Outside of ethical concerns, many of the CIO/CTO respondents listed economic uncertainty as a main concern for whether their companies would proceed with long-term AI investments.
In fact, 47% of AI projects were delayed, and 32% were scaled back due to economic uncertainty.
The World Economic Forum recently reported that two thirds of economists they surveyed believed a global recession is likely. Amongst CIOs and CTOs, a potential recession in the next year is a chief concern amongst nearly all (95%).
Despite continued cost decreases in accessing advanced AI applications, 36% of respondents said they planned to scale back their AI investments in light of economic instability. However, a similar number, 27%, mentioned they are considering accelerating them.
Overall, Solvd’s report argues for a more strategic, long-term outlook to AI in the enterprise. The company said that “pilots fail when companies confuse speed with strategy.” The real differentiator, according to them, is the discipline to turn experiments into measurable and sustainable impact through governance and clear KPIs.
Disclosure: This article mentions a client of an Espacio portfolio company.
