What "AI High Performers" Do Differently

When a founder tells you their AI product "transforms" how companies work, ask them what transformation actually looks like. Because according to the same McKinsey survey we covered in our previous article, only about 6% of organizations report that AI contributes at least 5% of EBIT while creating "significant value." Everyone else is still experimenting.

That 6% matters—not because it's a small number, but because those companies have figured something out. Understanding what separates them from the 94% is useful whether you're building an AI company, evaluating one, or trying to sell to enterprises that want to join that top tier.

They Think Bigger

High performers are 3.6x more likely than others to say their organization intends to use AI for transformative change—not just incremental efficiency gains. This isn't just corporate speak. It shows up in how they structure projects, allocate resources, and measure success. They're not asking "how can AI make this process 10% faster?" They're asking "should this process exist at all?"

For founders, this is your buyer profile. The companies that will pay for transformative AI aren't the ones optimizing around the edges—they're the ones willing to rebuild workflows from scratch. Find them.

They Redesign Workflows

High performers are 2.8x more likely to have fundamentally redesigned workflows around AI capabilities. Rather than bolting AI onto existing processes, they rebuild processes to take advantage of what AI can do. This is the difference between "AI-assisted" and "AI-native"—and it's where the real value creation happens.

For investors evaluating AI companies, ask: does this product require workflow change, or does it fit into existing workflows? Both can work, but the former has higher switching costs and potentially higher value. The latter is easier to sell but easier to replace.

"The organizations seeing the most value from AI aren't just implementing technology—they're fundamentally rethinking how work gets done."

— McKinsey Global Survey, November 2025

They Focus on Growth, Not Just Efficiency

While most organizations focus AI efforts on cost reduction, high performers set growth and innovation as primary objectives. They use AI to create new products, enter new markets, and improve customer experience. The efficiency gains follow, but they're not the point.

This matters for how you position an AI product. "Save 20% on operations" is a CFO sale. "Unlock new revenue streams" is a CEO sale. The latter is harder to prove but creates stickier relationships and larger contracts.

The Takeaway

The 6% who are getting real value from AI aren't smarter—they're more committed. They approach AI as transformation, not optimization. They redesign workflows instead of automating existing ones. And they measure success in growth, not just savings. If you're building for enterprises, build for that 6%. If you're investing, back the companies that understand the difference.