Only 18% of Organizations Track AI ROI

Why It Matters

Without robust ROI tracking, firms risk misallocating AI spend and failing to prove value to clients, which can erode competitive advantage in a fast‑adopting market.

Key Takeaways

• 18% of firms actively track AI ROI metrics.
• 77% measure internal cost savings, only 17% track new business.
• 40% of firms use generative AI; tax firms at 34%.
• 60‑67% of clients unaware of AI use in delivered work.
• Clients expect AI to boost insight quality, not just cut costs.

Pulse Analysis

The latest Thomson Reuters survey reveals a striking disconnect between AI adoption and performance measurement in professional services. Although generative AI usage has surged to 40% of firms—driven by tax and accounting teams seeking faster research, document summarization, and bookkeeping—most organizations still rely on internal proxies such as time savings and employee satisfaction. This inward focus reflects the ease of quantifying process efficiencies, yet it leaves a blind spot on revenue impact, client retention, and new‑business generation, metrics that investors and senior leaders increasingly demand.

Clients are also shaping the measurement conversation. Over half of corporate tax and legal professionals admit they cannot confirm whether their advisors used AI on delivered work, even though a strong majority believe firms should be leveraging the technology. The gap underscores a broader governance challenge: firms must balance transparency, traceability, and defensibility—especially in regulated domains like tax and audit—while delivering the strategic insights clients now expect. Domain‑specific solutions that embed citation trails and controlled content sources are emerging as a response, helping firms meet both internal efficiency goals and external quality standards.

Looking ahead, the industry is poised to develop more sophisticated ROI frameworks that link AI‑driven efficiencies to top‑line outcomes. As AI moves from pilot projects to core workflow components, firms that invest in attribution models, client‑facing reporting, and cross‑functional analytics will differentiate themselves. Such capabilities not only justify AI spend but also enable firms to market tangible value—faster insights, higher‑quality analysis, and stronger advisory impact—thereby securing client trust and driving sustainable growth.