Companies have more than doubled their spending on artificial intelligence in less than a year as AI moves from an experimental technology to a broader business investment.
According to Boston Consulting Group’s 2026 Applied AI Index, corporate AI spending has increased from about 1.7 percent of revenue in late 2025 to 3.3 percent in 2026.
More than 80 percent of this spending is now taking place outside traditional enterprise IT budgets, highlighting how AI is becoming a business-wide priority rather than simply a technology expense. (BCG Global)
AI investment spreads across business functions
BCG’s research, based on a survey of 1,330 senior executives and business leaders, found that companies are increasingly deploying AI across functions beyond technology departments.
As organisations move from pilot projects to wider implementation, spending is increasingly being tied to areas such as sales, operations, product development and workflow management.
Michael Grebe, managing director and senior partner at BCG, said companies that continue to treat AI solely as an IT expense risk underestimating both their actual spending and the potential returns from the technology. (BCG Global)
The shift is also changing the type of capabilities companies need.
Non-technology businesses are increasingly building skills around product management, workflow design and AI agent development as they determine which processes can be redesigned or automated.
AI begins to show measurable returns
The increased spending comes as more companies report tangible benefits from AI.
BCG found that nearly half of companies are now generating meaningful value from their AI investments, a significant improvement from its 2025 findings, when only about five percent of companies reported substantial value from AI. (BCG Global)
However, the benefits are not evenly distributed. While some organisations are scaling AI successfully, others continue to struggle to turn investment into measurable business results.
Separate Gartner research found that only 22 percent of organisations had successfully scaled AI across multiple business units or adopted an AI-first approach. It also found that 85 percent of functional leaders planned to increase AI spending in 2026. (Gartner)
AI could reshape the workforce
The expansion of AI is also expected to influence how companies structure their workforces.
BCG’s survey found that companies expect overall headcount to decline by around 10 to 15 percent by 2030, while the share of employees in dedicated AI-related roles could rise from seven percent in 2026 to 22 percent.
The figures do not necessarily mean economies will lose 10 to 15 percent of jobs. Instead, they reflect how businesses currently expect AI to change work, with some existing roles likely to shrink while new positions emerge.
Demand is expected to increase for workers who can design AI workflows, build and manage AI agents, and oversee the systems supporting them.
Governance remains a major challenge
As companies give AI greater responsibility, governance is becoming increasingly important.
BCG found that 42 percent of companies expect to give AI agents genuine decision-making authority by 2030. However, only five percent currently have the full set of controls needed to deploy such systems safely. (BCG Global)
This gap could become a major challenge as businesses expand the use of autonomous AI systems.
Companies will need stronger controls to manage AI decisions, security and risks without creating so many restrictions that they slow down useful deployment.
The findings point to a broader shift in corporate strategy: AI is no longer being treated simply as another IT project. It is increasingly becoming an enterprise-wide investment that is influencing budgets, workforce planning, business processes and long-term growth strategies.
SEO Title: AI Spending Doubles as Companies Move Beyond IT Budgets
Meta Description: AI spending has doubled to 3.3% of corporate revenue as companies move investment beyond IT and expand AI across business functions.
