Introduction

Artificial intelligence has surged to the top of enterprise agendas, driven by the rapid rise of generative AI. The promise is tantalising: higher productivity, smarter decision-making and accelerated growth. Yet, for most companies, the results have been underwhelming.

A new report from MIT’s NANDA initiative, The GenAI Divide: State of AI in Business 2025, reveals the scale of the challenge. Despite billions invested, fewer than 5% of AI pilots deliver measurable revenue acceleration. The remaining 95% stall, leaving executives frustrated, budgets depleted and business outcomes unchanged.

For consumer goods companies, this is a critical moment. The sector faces unique pressures: squeezed margins, increasing competition at the shelf and rising expectations for flawless execution. Leaders must ask themselves: why are so many AI pilots failing, and what does it take to succeed?

At Aforza, we are confident the answer lies in Vertical AI: solutions designed for mission-critical industry workflows, not generic experimentation. With Ava, our Vertical AI for Consumer Goods, we have built a proven model: every pilot we have run has succeeded.

The Harsh Reality of AI Pilots

MIT’s study is one of the most comprehensive looks at enterprise AI adoption to date, drawing from 150 executive interviews, a survey of 350 employees and 300 public AI deployments. The findings are sobering:

Why? MIT concludes the problem isn’t model quality or regulatory barriers, but enterprise integration. Generic tools like ChatGPT excel for individuals because they’re flexible. But in enterprise settings, this flexibility becomes a weakness. These tools don’t adapt to workflows, don’t embed in daily tasks and don’t deliver sustained adoption.

The study also challenges where enterprises are placing their bets. Too many investments are flowing into “nice-to-have” AI experiments, flashy demos, dashboards or isolated chatbots, rather than the mission-critical systems where real business value is created. MIT found that success rates are highest when AI addresses operationally essential processes that underpin growth and profitability.

For consumer goods companies, this distinction is vital. Aforza doesn’t sit on the sidelines in “nice-to-have” territory. Our platform powers the front-office, mission-critical workflows, trade promotions, retail execution and claims, that directly determine revenue, margin and competitiveness. By embedding Ava into these daily operations, we ensure that AI isn’t an experiment, but a driver of measurable business value.

And here’s the most important piece: adoption. MIT highlights that AI programs succeed when tools are embedded into the workflows of frontline users. When line managers and sales reps use AI as part of their daily flow, results follow. When AI sits outside their tasks, adoption collapses.

This is where Aforza excels. Ava isn’t an add-on, dashboard or experiment. It is woven into the workflows that sales reps, trade planners and finance teams rely on every day. That’s why our adoption rates are strong and why our pilots deliver real outcomes, not stalled proofs of concept.

Artificial intelligence has surged to the top of enterprise agendas, driven by the rapid rise of generative AI. The promise is tantalising: higher productivity, smarter decision-making and accelerated growth. Yet, for most companies, the results have been underwhelming.

A new report from MIT’s NANDA initiative, The GenAI Divide: State of AI in Business 2025, reveals the scale of the challenge. Despite billions invested, fewer than 5% of AI pilots deliver measurable revenue acceleration. The remaining 95% stall, leaving executives frustrated, budgets depleted and business outcomes unchanged.

For consumer goods companies, this is a critical moment. The sector faces unique pressures: squeezed margins, increasing competition at the shelf and rising expectations for flawless execution. Leaders must ask themselves: why are so many AI pilots failing, and what does it take to succeed?

At Aforza, we are confident the answer lies in Vertical AI: solutions designed for mission-critical industry workflows, not generic experimentation. With Ava, our Vertical AI for Consumer Goods, we have built a proven model: every pilot we have run has succeeded.

The Aforza Difference: Why Our Pilots Succeed

Against the backdrop of 95% failure rates, Aforza’s track record is striking. Every pilot we have run with customers has succeeded.

The difference is that Ava was never designed as a general-purpose tool. It is purpose-built Vertical AI for consumer goods, embedding intelligence directly into the workflows that matter most:

By focusing on mission-critical workflows that underpin growth and profitability, Ava avoids the pitfalls MIT describes. It doesn’t ask users to change how they work. It adapts to how they already operate, embedding intelligence into their daily flow.

This is the key reason adoption rates are high. Ava becomes invisible infrastructure, supporting users in the background and making every action faster, smarter and more productive. Users don’t “try” Ava. They hire and rely on her.

Case Study: AG Barr’s Breakthrough Results

The most compelling proof comes from our work with real customers like AG Barr, the iconic drinks company behind Irn-Bru and Rubicon. Like many consumer goods companies, AG Barr was looking for ways to improve efficiency and consistency in field execution while reducing operational waste.

Within just weeks of deploying Ava, the results were clear:

These numbers tell a powerful story. In an industry where margins are tight, a 50% productivity uplift transforms resource allocation. With 96% accuracy in store audits, execution quality improves, compliance strengthens and sales opportunities are captured consistently.

This is exactly the kind of mission-critical impact MIT describes as the key to AI success. While most enterprises stall in pilots, AG Barr demonstrates that when AI is embedded into user workflows and focused on essential processes, the outcomes are not just measurable but transformational.

Reference: AG Barr Capital Markets Day 2025 Presentation

Why Vertical AI is the Secret to Enterprise AI Success

The MIT study confirms what Aforza has known from day one: AI success is contextual. Generic models are impressive in isolation, but unless they learn from and act within industry workflows, they fail to scale in enterprise settings.

Vertical AI changes the equation. By combining:

…solutions like Ava consistently deliver ROI.

This is why Ava is not a “nice-to-have” experiment. It is a mission-critical system, helping consumer goods companies reduce waste, increase profitability and drive sustainable growth.

And unlike generic copilots, Ava doesn’t sit on the side. It lives inside the workflows users execute every day. For reps, that means smarter visits and better customer conversations. For trade planners, it means promotions that perform. For finance teams, it means claims resolved in hours, not weeks.

This is the secret to success and why every Aforza pilot delivers measurable impact.

Conclusion: Closing the GenAI Divide

MIT’s research exposes the GenAI Divide: a small minority of companies are thriving with AI while the vast majority are stuck in stalled pilots. The difference isn’t the models, it’s the adoption strategy.

For consumer goods leaders, the lesson is clear:

At Aforza, this has been our philosophy from day one. With Ava, our Vertical AI for Consumer Goods, we have proven that AI can deliver transformative value fast. From AG Barr’s 50% productivity uplift to every successful pilot we have run, the evidence is clear: Vertical AI closes the divide.

With the right focus, AI doesn’t have to stall. It can become your company’s competitive advantage, driving smarter decisions, flawless execution and growth that lasts.