PwC: 20% of companies capture 74% of AI gains

A new PwC study published on April 13 finds that 20% of companies capture 74% of AI's economic value. The study surveyed 1,217 senior executives across 25 sectors and points to a widening gap between companies that are scaling AI and those still stuck in pilot mode.

The most interesting part is what the leaders do differently. PwC says the top performers are two to three times more likely to use AI for growth and business model reinvention, not just productivity. They are also roughly twice as likely to redesign workflows around AI instead of layering new tools on top of old processes.

The study also points to more autonomous operations. Companies with the strongest outcomes are 2.8 times more likely to have increased the number of decisions made without human intervention, while also putting stronger governance, accountability and trust mechanisms around AI.

For CIOs, the message is pretty direct: the edge no longer comes from testing the most tools, but from building the data foundation, governance and operating model that make AI usable at the core of the business.

Source: PwC, AI Performance Study, April 13, 2026.