Partner, Don’t Build and Go Deep on Workflow Integration

We’ve been consulting across teams rolling out AI this year, and one theme keeps repeating: the AI market is brutal. Winners win because they partner with the right vendors and embed AI into deep, messy workflows not because they bought something shiny.

A new report, The GenAI Divide: State of AI in Business 2025, maps this split clearly. It’s a useful mirror for what we’re seeing in the field, so we’re highlighting the takeaways and adding our playbook for crossing the divide. According to the report, only a small fraction of AI pilots deliver measurable business impact; most stall because tools don’t learn or fit real processes. External partnerships, not internal builds, are where success concentrates.

• Partner, don’t build. Strategic partnerships are twice as likely to succeed as internal builds.

• Go vertical, not just horizontal. Choose deep workflow integrations over generic productivity boosts. Tools like chat interfaces are ubiquitous, but they rarely move the P&L.

• Future‑proof with learning. Favor systems that remember, adapt, and improve—with telemetry, feedback loops, and robust connectors. The core barrier isn’t models; it’s learning and integration.

What the research says (and why it matches what we see)

The report finds that only ~5% of integrated AI pilots are creating significant value; the rest remain stuck with no measurable P&L impact. Adoption is high, but transformation is rare.

ChatGPT/Copilot‑style tools are widely explored (80%+) and often deployed (~40%), but their impact is mostly individual productivity, not enterprise performance.

Partnerships outperform builds: external partnerships see roughly 2× the success rate of internal efforts.

Methodology note: this publication is based on 300+ public AI initiatives, structured interviews with 52 organizations, and survey responses from 153 senior leaders (Jan–Jun 2025).

As the report sums it up: “Stop investing in static tools … focus on workflow integration over flashy demos.”

Three principles for 2025 AI buyers

1) Partner, don’t build

In a fast‑moving market with shifting model APIs, governance requirements, and UX expectations, building from scratch is a tax on speed and risk. Treat AI more like outsourced operations (BPO) than traditional SaaS: pick a specialist who already lives inside your domain, can co‑design workflows with your front line, and will share outcomes. The data shows buyers who operate this way succeed more often.

What good looks like

Vendor has process‑specific depth (vertical know‑how, playbooks, and reference integrations).

They commit to business metrics, not just usage stats.

They can prove secure data handling and governance in your stack.

2) Go deep on vertical workflows (not just “chat”)

Horizontal assistants are useful for drafting and exploration, but the ROI shows up when AI is embedded in systems of record (CRM/ERP/ITSM), handles full task lifecycles, and reduces handoffs. Choose tools that plug into your specific processes—claims adjudication, collections, order management, underwriting, onboarding—so telemetry and feedback can close the loop. The report’s pattern is clear: generic pilots are easy to start and hard to scale.

Checklist

Native connectors to your core apps and data.

Event‑driven design (webhooks, queues) so the AI reacts to real business states.

Role‑based UX tied to how your teams actually work.

3) Future‑proof for learning and adaptability

Most stalled deployments share one flaw: the system doesn’t learn. Look for memory, personalization, and safe autonomy: tools that retain context, improve from feedback, and orchestrate multi‑step workflows. That’s the line between demos and durable value.

Ask vendors to show

Persistent memory (per account, case, or workflow).

Feedback pipelines (human‑in‑the‑loop, error triage, retraining cadence).

Observability (decision logs, data lineage, prompt/version control).

Change readiness (model/version swaps without breaking workflows).

Link: https://mlq.ai/media/quarterly_decks/v0.1_State_of_AI_in_Business_2025_Report.pdf