Nearly half of Canadian businesses stuck in AI pilots without meaningful ROI

Nearly half (46%) of business leaders say their organizations are experimenting with AI without achieving meaningful return-on-investment (ROI), according to a report from BDO Canada. The report draws on an Angus Reid survey that polled 520 Canadian business leaders in March and April.

The report also found that only 18% of leaders are actively embedding AI into workflows and operations.

BDO’s AI Vision Report examines how Canadian companies can move beyond isolated AI pilots to enterprise-wide adoption with measurable value and business outcomes.

“The next gap will not be between organizations using AI and not using AI. It will be between those redesigning work around AI and those funding disconnected pilots,” said Bill Syrros, national AI leader, BDO Canada.

There is still a visibility gap for now, with 27% of Canadian leaders thinking AI will have a minimal impact on their organization over the next four years.

BDO says that companies will need to treat AI as an operating model change rather than as a technology deployment. Scaling effectively, the accountancy says, will require clear governance, ownership, workforce enablement, adoption planning, and measurement.

According to a Gartner report, by 2028 one-third of enterprise software will include agentic AI capabilities – putting pressure on companies to build responsible scaling frameworks today.

“Canada’s AI opportunity will depend not only on adoption, but on adoption that is practical, measurable, and trusted,” said Jeff Chapman, managing partner, advisory, BDO Canada. “There is real opportunity for those that build the right foundations, and we are investing to help our clients seize it.”

BDO says its approach is informed by the “Client Zero” program, where the firm tests and scales AI solutions within its own operations – including workforce enablement, governed experimentation, workflow integration, and responsible practices.