Why 95% of AI Pilots Fail and How Leaders Can Capture Value

📹 Watch the full conversation with Philippe Wellens, CEO of Kleio AI: (Kleio's segment begins at 17 minutes and 26 seconds)

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The Challenge: AI Pilots Rarely Deliver ROI

A recent MIT study suggests that up to 95 percent of AI pilots fail. Despite significant investments and ambitious roadmaps, most organizations struggle to convert pilots into scalable business impact.

Philippe Wellens, CEO of Kleio AI and former international head of data science at C3 AI, explains the structural reasons. Many organizations pursue use cases that are either too broad to test effectively or too narrow to generate meaningful results. Others overlook the critical infrastructure - data pipelines, orchestration, governance, in favor of quick proofs of concept. And too often, initiatives stall because they lack executive sponsorship and the right talent.

The Path to Success

From Philippe’s experience scaling AI across Fortune 500 companies, five imperatives stand out. Start with the right problem: it should be narrow enough to pilot but strategically significant enough to scale. Invest in orchestration: AI works best when a system of agents is coordinated by a “manager” that drives strong outcomes. Build guardrails: professional, accurate, and brand-safe interactions are essential for customer trust. Measure impact early: define ROI, time-to-value, and KPIs at the outset. Lead from the top: AI transformations succeed only when executives champion cross-functional collaboration and accelerate integration.

The Next Horizon

Today, organizations are already asking Kleio AI to replace entire websites with hyper-personalized conversational interfaces. This marks a clear shift: AI is moving from back-office experimentation to front-line customer engagement.

Leaders who adopt an AI-forward mindset, integrate quickly, and commit to building the right foundations will capture disproportionate value.

👉 Watch the full interview above to hear Philippe’s perspective on making AI succeed where most fail. Kleio's segment begins at 17 minutes and 26 seconds.

https://knownwell.com/podcast/finding-the-next-competitive-advantage-when-everyone-has-ai/

Connect with Philippe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philippe-wellens/

Follow Kleio on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kleio-ai