Companies must go beyond AI adoption to realise its full potential

What: A comprehensive BCG study of over 10,600 workers across 11 countries shows that while AI usage is mainstream, realising its full business value requires fundamental workflow redesign and stronger leadership support.

Why it is important: The study exposes the vital connection between AI implementation success and organisational transformation, showing that retailers must focus on both technological integration and human factors to achieve meaningful results in an increasingly AI-driven market.

The research reveals a clear divide in the success of AI adoption across retail. While 72% of respondents use AI regularly, only 51% of frontline employees are active users. Three main factors determine success: training (only 36% feel prepared), proper tools (54% resort to unauthorised solutions), and leadership engagement (reaching just 25% of frontline staff). Companies seeing results have redesigned their work processes while investing in employee development and measuring outcomes. AI agents represent the next challenge, with 75% of employees viewing them as crucial for future operations, although current integration remains at only 13%. The findings stress the need for structured implementation, adequate training, and clear performance tracking.

IADS Notes: Recent developments validate BCG's findings. In March 2025, leading retailers achieved 4.5% annual productivity growth through AI integration, while February 2025 data showed that 71% of consumers expect personalised interactions. January 2025 research revealed that 87% of early AI adopters saw revenue increases of 6% or more . Intime Department Store demonstrated this potential in July 2024 with a 15% boost in counter sales . However, only 10% of retailers successfully scale their AI applications, highlighting the importance of comprehensive strategies.

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