2025 Research Report for Salesforce Leaders

AI Isn’t Delivering—
Here's What To Do About It

Everyone’s talking about what AI can do. No one’s talking about what it really takes to get results. This is a look at what’s standing in the way—and what needs to change.

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If AI Still Feels Hard, You’re Not Imagining It

We surveyed 120+ Salesforce-powered companies and found that while many are building toward AI, the early results aren’t matching the investment. The tech is ready. The ambition is real. What’s missing is everything around it: infrastructure, processes, and strategy built to support AI at scale.

50%

of respondents say they’ve seen no measurable ROI from AI.

21%

report proven outcomes.

67%

plan to maintain or increase their AI budgets over the next two years.

You’ve Outgrown Digital Transformation

The tools may be new, but many teams still work with yesterday’s playbook. Data & AI modernization isn’t about adding more tech; it’s about rethinking how everything works together. Digital transformation laid the groundwork but won’t take you where you need to go next.

Your Data’s Stuck—So Is Everything Else

You’ve got the data. You’ve got the tools. But if your systems aren’t built to move that data where it’s needed, nothing clicks. Architecture is the part most teams overlook—and why AI efforts stall before they ever scale.

Pilots Aren’t a Plan

You’ve run the tests and shown what’s possible. But progress doesn’t come from proof-of-concept. It comes from strategy. Real impact starts when AI is tied to outcomes, not experiments.

Your Workflows Weren’t Built for This

Layering AI on top of old processes only gets you so far. The real shift happens when you rethink how workflows—not just who or what completes it.

Why We Wrote This Report

We’ve sat in meetings where AI progress feels challenging despite best efforts. This work blends insights from 120+ leaders at Salesforce-powered organizations with what we’ve seen in practice—where things break down and what helps companies get results. It’s the conversation most teams haven’t had yet: open, honest, and grounded in reality.

Get clear on what’s really holding AI back
Redefine what readiness actually means
Start where you are. Fix what matters most.

Build for Results, Not Hype

Download the report to see what’s getting in the way of AI impact—and why Data and AI modernization should be your next investment.