AI Delivers $1.36M Return for Every $1M Invested: Basware Study

Companies are realizing a 136% spike in return on investment (ROI) from AI in financial technology, with savings exceeding $1.36 million for every $1 million invested over a three-year period, according to a global survey from Basware.

“We’ve been speaking with customers during our World Tour and it’s clear that some finance leaders are facing the most pressure they’ve felt in 40 years. Companies prioritizing AI investment in areas that drive significant ROI becomes essential for gaining CFO and boardroom approval. It’s not solely about saving money but funding the ability to accelerate growth,” says Jason Kurtz, CEO of Basware.

Key takeaways:

·        Amid economic turbulence, fueled by tariffs and global trade disruptions, AI is being tied directly to enterprises’ financial performance.  

·        82% of businesses investing significantly in AI see an increase in revenue, while 53% are seeing an increase in gross profit, compared to those not investing as heavily.  

·        Cost efficiency tops every CFO's priority list, with 32% naming it their biggest transformation goal.  

·        In contrast, it was found that companies investing in AI are able to tackle their biggest challenges such as data accuracy, fraud detection, and process delays. 

·        75% report that AI enables its employees to focus on strategic activities instead of repetitive manual work. 

·        The 136% ROI achieved by successful companies proves AI works when applied correctly to specific business problems. 

Basware

Basware

·        Basware launched InvoiceAI, a roadmap that features 16 new products in development, including AP Business Agent, a GenAI-powered tool that summarizes invoices; and AP Data Agent, an Insights tool that allows users to ask questions around invoices.