The State of AI in 2026: On the Road to ROI
Summary
Zarm/zylo 2026 Global AI Survey reveals a growing divide between individual productivity gains and enterprise-level financial returns. While 80% of employees report AI-driven productivity gains and 44% of companies report scaling AI across the enterprise, only 37% attribute measurable EBIT impact to the technology. The survey highlights the rapid rise of agentic coding tools—which are prompting nearly one-third of companies to build software internally rather than purchase it—alongside emerging tokenomics cost constraints and strategies from "AI high performers" who fundamentally redesign workflows.
Key Insights
- Scaling Agentic AI: 40% of large enterprises (revenue > $1B) are scaling AI agents (up from 27% in 2025), with 31% specifically scaling agentic coding tools.
- Build vs. Buy Shift: 32% of organizations report deciding against buying commercial software products or features because they can now build them in-house using AI coding agents.
- The ROI/EBIT Lag: While 80% of workers report individual productivity improvements, company-wide EBIT impact remains flat at 37%, with high performers comprising just 6% of respondents.
- Tokenomics & Cost Pressures: 20% of organizations say AI operating and token costs constrain their deployment, yet 60% plan to increase AI investments over the next year.
- Workforce Expectation Realities: 39% expect AI-driven headcount declines in the coming year, but actual reported reductions over the past year (14%) fell far short of previous predictions.
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About the Author
Dr. Aliya Nur Balisani
Chief AI Officer and former NVIDIA AI Consultant specializing in enterprise AI strategy and digital transformation.
Dr. Aliya Nur Balisani is an AI leader focused on helping organizations adopt artificial intelligence in practical and profitable ways. With experience in enterprise AI strategy, automation, and emerging technologies, she provides insights on generative AI, autonomous systems, business transformation, and the future of intelligent enterprises.