The question of whether generative AI delivers a return on investment is no longer theoretical. The 2025 Wharton Human AI Research report shows that 82 % of enterprise leaders use generative AI at least weekly, and nearly half use it daily. Generative AI has moved from experimentation to mainstream operations.

What stands out is how leaders perceive its impact. Eighty nine percent say generative AI enhances employees’ skills rather than replacing them, yet 43 % are concerned that over reliance could erode human proficiency. This duality: optimism about augmentation and caution about atrophy, signals that organisations must balance automation with continuous learning.

The report also shows that accountability has arrived. Seventy two percent of leaders formally measure return on investment, focusing on productivity gains and profitability, and three in four leaders already see positive returns from their generative AI investments. GenAI is no longer about fear of missing out; it is about performance metrics and proven value.

For leaders, the implications are clear. Generative AI should be treated as a business investment with measurable outcomes. It is essential to build frameworks that integrate AI into workflows while enhancing, not eroding, human capabilities. Leaders must invest in training, create guardrails, and ensure cross functional collaboration so that teams understand both the power and the limits of AI. They must also monitor employee wellbeing and manage psychosocial risks, because rapid adoption without support can lead to stress, skill decay and cultural fragmentation.

The evidence from Wharton is encouraging: AI delivers real ROI when implemented thoughtfully and measured rigorously. But the technology does not manage itself. Leaders do. The path to sustainable AI adoption runs through clear metrics, skill development and an unwavering commitment to human wellbeing.

Use the Wharton findings as your benchmark. Measure the impact of AI, invest in your people and ensure that your culture evolves alongside your technology.