New survey shows that IT leaders are eager to reap the benefits of AI, but struggle with implementation amid growing pressure to demonstrate return on investment

CDW has released its 2025 AI Report, which examines insights on AI’s impact on the IT landscape from over 900 decision makers. The report highlights the top strategies, challenges and use cases as leaders navigate various stages of implementation.

According to the research, many IT leaders (62%) agreed that their organization has good ideas for AI but have trouble executing those ideas due to a variety of factors. Additionally, 64% of IT decision makers said they have seen less than a 50% return on investment (ROI) from their organization’s AI initiatives, illustrating the mounting pressure for leaders to show the success of their investments.

Additional insights from the report include:

• Organizations are all in on AI's potential: 75% of organizations already have a documented AI strategy, and more than 98% of respondents said their organization had initiated at least one AI project. Plus, 68% of IT professionals said they are implementing or have already implemented chatbots.
• Challenges in the IT landscape are blocking some AI initiatives from success: Only 34% of IT decision-makers report having achieved full deployment on their highest-priority AI projects. The two primary reasons for AI project failure were insufficient understanding of AI’s capabilities (12%) and insufficient staffing and skills (11%).
• While concerns of AI-fueled cyberattacks are not overlooked, IT decision-makers see notable value in AI's role within their security strategy: 85% of respondents said they think AI can help them improve cybersecurity. Of the top AI use cases, many respondents have already implemented security (42%) and data analysis (46%).

“We are seeing a number of organizations invest in AI capabilities with the goal of improving productivity and driving revenue,” said Joe Markwith, Chief Strategist for MOAT (Mastering Operational AI Transformation) at CDW. “What many of our customers are learning is that implementing AI is not a quick flip-the-switch project, but a significant business transformation that requires a strategic approach. This report illustrates how leaders can leverage proactive planning and innovation solutions to address challenges head-on and generate ROI in a clearly defined timeline.”

The full report can be downloaded here. For more information on how CDW is helping customers with high-impact AI solutions, please visit the company's website.