Why Most AI Pilots Never Reach Production
Most AI initiatives never make it out of the pilot stage. Gartner has forecast that 30% of generative AI projects will be abandoned after proof of concept by the end of 2025, undone by poor data quality, weak controls, unclear business value, and escalating cost. The problem predates the current wave of generative tools. RAND's study of experienced practitioners found that more than 80% of AI projects fail, roughly twice the rate of IT projects that carry no AI component.