The state of AI in 2026: On the road to ROI.
McKinsey's global survey of 1,719 leaders in 97 countries finds AI is almost universal and agents are scaling at large firms. Measurable profit impact has not grown, though, and the share of high performers is flat.
By McKinsey & Company (QuantumBlack) · Aug 1, 2026
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McKinsey's global survey of 1,719 leaders in 97 countries finds AI is almost universal and agents are scaling at large firms. Measurable profit impact has not grown, though, and the share of high performers is flat.
Key findings
- Nearly nine in ten respondents regularly use AI in at least one business function, and 44% say it is scaling across the enterprise (up from 38%).
- 40% of companies with more than $1bn in revenue are scaling AI agents, up from 27%. Smaller firms are flat at 22%.
- Only 37% attribute any EBIT impact to AI, about the same as last year, and AI high performers remain around 6%.
- 80% say AI has improved their personal productivity.
- 39% expect AI to reduce headcount next year (up from 32%), but only 14% saw an AI-related decline in the past year.
Why it matters
Marketing and sales is one of the functions most likely to report AI revenue gains, so marketers have both an opening and pressure to prove ROI.
About this report
Published by McKinsey & Company (QuantumBlack), 2026-08. Free to download. Get the full report from McKinsey & Company (QuantumBlack)