New AI Research from Solvd: 71% of CIOs and CTOs Say Leadership Has Unrealistic AI ROI Expectations

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WALNUT CREEK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 24, 2025--

A new AI study from Solvd, an AI-first advisory and digital engineering firm, finds that technology leaders at large U.S. enterprises are caught in a high-stakes paradox: while nearly all CIOs and CTOs are deeply worried about unethical AI use, only a minority have formal oversight in place to prevent it.

SolvdCIO & CTO insights: AI research 2025, conducted by Wakefield Research among 500 U.S. CIOs & CTOs at companies with at least $500M in annual revenue (fielded July 24-August 4, 2025), reveals that AI’s promise and peril are accelerating in tandem. Key themes from the research include a widening ethical AI implementation gap, a lack of clarity around who should be responsible for governance, the influence of economic uncertainty on AI investment decisions, as well as intense pressure on technology leaders to quickly produce ROI.

“AI is moving at breakneck speed, but speed alone isn’t a strategy,” said Adam Gabrault, CEO of Solvd. “Too many organizations get stuck in endless loops of pilots and proofs of concept, with little to show for it. At Solvd, we help companies bridge these gaps, turning experimentation into execution and enabling AI to deliver real impact from discipline, accountability, and a relentless focus on delivering results."

Key findings from the report include:

• Ethical AI implementation gap
  • 97% of CIOs and CTOs are concerned about unethical AI use at their companies.
  • Only 38% report having formal internal oversight for AI.
    

• Responsibility for governance - Most technology leaders say they carry the burden of internal governance. At the same time, opinions are split on external oversight: many fear over-regulation will stifle innovation, yet a majority still favor public regulation as a long-term solution.
  • 82% of CIOs/CTOs reported being primarily responsible for internal AI governance; only 5% report that this is the responsibility of a dedicated AI ethics board/compliance committee.
  • 61% favor public/government regulation of AI, while 36% prefer industry-led regulation.
    

• Pressure to achieve ROI - CIOs and CTOs are under intense pressure to convert AI initiatives into revenue and measurable business outcomes, but unrealistic expectations from senior leadership risk driving short-sighted decisions.
  • 71% say executive leadership has unrealistic expectations around the ROI of AI.
  • When asked how AI has benefited their organizations so far: 59% cite improved strategic insights and forecasting; 55% better customer support and faster and more targeted hiring; 54% cost savings through AI efficiencies; 53% better use of company data.
    

• Economic uncertainty - The research reflects a growing tension around strategic decisions in light of an uncertain future. A majority of leaders are highly concerned about recession, with half accelerating AI investments as a result – reflecting the perceived role of AI as both a cost lever and a growth differentiator.
  • 54% are very or extremely concerned about a potential global recession, yet 50% are accelerating AI investments despite recession fears.

What the findings mean

Solvd’s analysis reveals enterprises racing to adopt AI as a competitive lever while governance frameworks lag dangerously behind. Without proactive oversight, companies risk costly regulatory and reputational penalties once stricter standards inevitably take hold.

While many organizations are already seeing tangible business benefits from AI, overconfidence without governance could leave them scrambling later to retroactively fix flawed implementations – an expensive, complex, and potentially existential threat.

“AI shouldn’t be a case of ‘adopt now, think about ethics later,’” Gabrault added. “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.”

Methodology

The Solvd CIO & CTO insights: AI research 2025 was conducted by Wakefield Research among 500 U.S. CIOs & CTOs at companies with at least $500M in annual revenue, between July 24th and August 4th, 2025, using an email invitation and online survey.

Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. For the interviews conducted in this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 4.4 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.

The survey primarily utilized multiple-choice questions with the select all that apply response format. Respondents were provided 'None of these' options where relevant. In order to demonstrate attitude, 5-point Likert scales were implemented.

About Solvd

Solvd is an AI-first advisory and digital engineering firm delivering measurable impact through strategic digital transformation. We help enterprises close the gap between experimentation and execution that delivers a real ROI by embedding artificial intelligence into every process layer and moving ideas rapidly from research to production.

Our unique AI capabilities combine deep implementation experience with world-class academic research. The strength of our team lies in its blend of practitioners solving real life problems and researchers, many with advanced degrees and contributions to leading conferences such as NeurIPS, ICML, and ECCV. This dual expertise ensures technical rigor and real-world execution power.

As an AI-native company, we bring continuous innovation with global scale and enterprise-grade delivery. Our services span AI advisory, AI and data engineering, digital experience, application development, cloud engineering, and quality engineering & GRC. Across industries such as healthcare, life sciences, media, and retail, Solvd helps enterprises worldwide turn AI potential into real ROI.

Solvd serves enterprises worldwide, supported by offices in the USA, Poland, Ukraine, and Georgia.

Visit solvd.com to learn more.

About Wakefield Research

Wakefield Research is a leading, independent provider of quantitative, qualitative, and hybrid market research for thought leadership and strategic insights. Wakefield Research is a partner to the world’s leading brands and agencies, including 50 of the Fortune 100. We conduct research in nearly 100 countries and our surveys appear regularly in top-tier media. Learn more at www.wakefieldresearch.com.

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PUB: 09/24/2025 09:02 AM/DISC: 09/24/2025 09:01 AM

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