Artificial intelligence budgets are surpassing traditional IT spending, with C-suite executives playing a central role in guiding investment decisions, according to an April 15 survey from venture capital and private equity firm Bessemer Venture Partners.
The survey — conducted in partnership with Amazon Web Services and Bain & Co. — polled more than 400 executives from payer, pharmaceutical and provider organizations to assess how healthcare entities are approaching generative AI. The report examined which use cases leaders are prioritizing, how adoption decisions are being made, and where organizations fall on the generative AI maturity curve.
Here are four key findings from the survey:
- Sixty percent of respondents said AI budgets are outpacing IT budgets.
- Only 30% of AI pilot programs move into production. Common barriers include concerns over security, data readiness, integration costs and limited in-house expertise, according to the survey.
- Startups face both headwinds and growth opportunities. Just 15% of AI projects today involve vertical-specific applications. Only 32% of executives believe generative AI tools from startups outperform those from major tech companies, but 48% said they prefer working with startups over established vendors.
- Trust and measurable outcomes are shaping procurement. Sixty-four percent of executives are open to co-developing solutions with early-stage companies — especially when those vendors can demonstrate a clear return on investment.
