Although artificial intelligence (AI) remains a hot topic in the capital market, data from the real world shows signs of cooling down. The latest biweekly survey by the U.S. Census Bureau shows the largest decline in AI usage by companies since the survey began in November 2023.
General Decline in Corporate AI Adoption
The survey covers over 1.2 million companies in the United States. It shows that the proportion of large companies with more than 250 employees using AI tools dropped from nearly 14% in mid-June to below 12% in August. At the same time, medium-sized companies with 19 to 250 employees also showed a decline or stable level in AI adoption. Although the AI usage rate for small businesses with fewer than four employees slightly increased, the overall trend remains worrying.
This is undoubtedly a warning signal for tech investors and CEOs who view corporate AI as a key to a sustainable business model. In recent years, industry leaders such as SAP CEO Christian Klein and UBS have expressed high expectations for the future of corporate AI, believing it would revolutionize business operations and bring significant profits. However, current data does not support this optimistic outlook.
Low Profitability and Stagnation in Innovation
The survey shows that corporate AI has very low profitability. As many as 95% of U.S. companies reported that despite adopting AI software, they did not generate any new revenue. This has led some financial observers to warn that the huge investments made by the tech industry in AI may be difficult to recoup, and software innovation seems to have stalled.
In addition, the highly anticipated new model from OpenAI, GPT-5, although causing a stir online, did not show a qualitative leap in benchmark tests as expected. Some companies that had previously laid off or stopped hiring due to AI have begun rehiring employees, which may be the most obvious sign that AI technology has failed to deliver on its promises.
If corporate AI cannot turn around and achieve profitability, the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau may just be the beginning of a steep decline in corporate AI adoption.
