As AI adoption accelerates across industries, a new Deloitte study reveals a paradox: while organizations are investing heavily in artificial intelligence, many are failing to see returns that match the hype. The reason, researchers say, is not technological — it’s human.

According to Deloitte’s Humans × Machines research, real impact comes not from layering AI onto existing systems, but from redesigning the very nature of work to enable true convergence between people and technology. Yet only 16% of surveyed organizations say they have fully redesigned roles, processes, and operating models to integrate AI effectively.

The study found that 59% of companies still take a tech-centric approach to AI, focusing primarily on implementation rather than integration — and these same companies are 1.6 times more likely to report that their AI investments are failing to exceed expectations. The data highlights a growing misalignment: while 39% of organizations say IT is leading AI-related work design, only 12% report HR as a key player in shaping how humans and machines collaborate.

Leadership disconnects also persist. Over half (51%) of C-suite leaders cite strategic misalignment as a barrier to realizing AI’s value at scale, followed by limitations in technology integration (47%), workforce readiness (41%), and lack of work design (39%).

Deloitte’s findings underscore a crucial shift in mindset: moving from a “technology-first” to a “work-first” approach, where human capabilities and machine intelligence amplify each other. The report argues that companies embracing this dual design strategy — optimizing workflows, redefining roles, and empowering teams to use AI dynamically — are the ones already seeing measurable ROI.

“Our latest research shows a clear pattern: most organizations are investing heavily in AI, but not enough in the work design needed to unlock its value,” said David Mallon, US Human Capital Head of Research and Chief Futurist at Deloitte. “This shouldn’t be an ‘either/or’ approach — it should be a ‘both/and’ strategy to maximize value. Organizations that take a technology-first approach struggle to scale, while those that intentionally design roles, workflows, and decision-making to integrate humans and machines are more likely to exceed their ROI expectations. The data underscores that AI’s potential is realized through work design.”

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Source: Deloitte