A new MIT study reveals 95% of gen AI pilots fail. But that’s not an AI problem. It’s an implementation problem.
The real issue is the messy, fragmented way AI is used. Too many organizations treat AI as a helper on the sidelines—chatbots, copilots, and assistants that wait to be called upon. While helpful, this approach barely scratches the surface of what’s possible. Real transformation happens when AI is embedded directly into the core operations of your enterprise.
Organizations that succeed with AI don’t see it as an add-on. They use it as part of their orchestrated workflows—a powerful digital worker that sits alongside humans and automation to drive business forward every day.
It's time to stop using AI for simple work and start using it for impactful work. Here’s how.
The path to AI value
MIT’s research highlights a fundamental challenge in enterprise AI use: They fail to integrate AI with how work actually gets done. Standalone tools like ChatGPT deliver value for individuals because of their flexibility, but they stall in enterprise settings where they can’t adapt to workflows or learn from the context of business operations.
MIT found that the highest AI returns come from back-office automation. Organizations that use AI to eliminate costly outsourcing, reduce reliance on external agencies, and streamline operations at scale see the most impact.
So what separates the 5% of organizations realizing AI value from those that fall short?
They start with high-impact, repeatable processes that create measurable business value.
They embed AI into core business processes rather than relying solely on siloed, standalone tools like chatbots.
They partner with leading AI platforms that ensure governance, scalability, and long-term success.
The takeaway: Sustainable impact doesn’t come from isolated pilots. It comes from embedding AI directly into the processes that run the business.
Put AI to work it in your core business processes
Every organization runs on processes. They determine how you serve customers, manage risk, and spend money. Processes cut across departments, systems, and stakeholders, shaping everything from supply chain resilience to compliance to customer satisfaction.
Traditionally, these processes relied on human judgment and rules-based automation. Today, AI introduces a new kind of digital worker—flexible, adaptive, and capable of understanding unstructured information at scale.
When embedded in business processes, AI’s impact expands dramatically:
It makes decisions in context. AI interprets data in the flow of work—evaluating medical records during underwriting, flagging anomalies in procurement, or recommending next actions in customer service.
It acts on structured goals and governance. Escalation paths and oversight ensure AI operates under business rules and compliance frameworks.
It leverages data from across systems. AI gains access to complete, real-time, governed data while maintaining privacy and security.
It operates safely, measurably, and at scale. Guardrails, audit trails, and performance dashboards make AI adoption transparent and enterprise-ready.
This is where AI moves beyond hype. Embedded in the workflows that define how business gets done, it becomes a driver of measurable impact—faster decisions, more efficient operations, and stronger customer outcomes.
Real applications of impactful AI
Organizations across industries are already proving the transformative potential of AI when it’s embedded into operations.
Healthcare
AI reduces administrative burden so staff can focus on patients. It accelerates case intake, extracts insights from unstructured records, and flags risks in real time.
Acclaim Autism automated their patient onboarding process. They deployed Appian AI agents to extract diagnosis information from unstructured medical documents with 95% accuracy. And Appian’s private AI approach keeps Acclaim compliant with HIPAA and other privacy standards. The new process cut patient wait times by 83%, giving children faster access to life-changing treatment.
Insurance
Underwriting and claims are document-heavy and data-intensive. AI eliminates manual review, improves accuracy, and speeds decisions.
Canada Life used generative AI to process over 2 million pages of medical data annually, cutting review time by 75%, improving accuracy to 98%, and freeing up 6,833 hours that staff can now use for more valuable, customer-focused work.
Public Sector
Agencies must deliver services quickly while safeguarding sensitive data. AI, deployed securely, provides rapid, auditable answers without risk of misinformation.
In the face of a constant queue of policy questions, the procurement team at the Texas Department of Public Safety created a private AI system that was completely controlled by them and trained only on their knowledge base. Now, staff members receive accurate procurement policy answers in seconds, with zero risk of data leakage.
Financial Services
Banks must balance compliance demands with customer expectations for speed. AI accelerates onboarding, KYC, and verification, scaling capacity without adding headcount.
Towerbank reduced account onboarding from two weeks to just 20 minutes. By automating verification and decision workflows, the bank is prepared to handle 3–5x growth from the launch of the world’s first crypto wallet app in 2025—all without expanding staff.
These examples show a clear pattern: Healthcare gains speed-to-care, insurers gain efficiency and accuracy, governments gain trust and compliance, and banks gain scalability and agility. Each sector has unique pressures—but the path forward is the same: bring AI to work where performance is defined.
From potential to performance
The real value of AI isn’t to drive personal productivity—it’s to amplify human potential. When you put AI to work inside your processes, you create space for human talent to do what only humans can: innovate, problem-solve, and build stronger relationships with customers.
Appian makes this shift possible. By embedding AI into end-to-end workflows, you gain efficiency, accuracy, and scale—while giving your workforce the time and tools to deliver greater strategic impact.
