AI adoption is widespread, but few businesses see significant returns. What makes the difference?

Nearly 90% of companies use artificial intelligence in at least one business function, yet only 6% have achieved a significant impact on operating profit. Why do so many AI projects fail to progress beyond the experimental stage, and how can businesses identify ideas that are genuinely worth developing? These were among the questions addressed by Mika Aho, CEO and Co-founder of Finnish company Data Design, at the RAISE AI Ideation Day held at Tehnopol on 3 November.

The international AI Ideation Day brought together entrepreneurs and experts from Estonia, Latvia, Finland and Sweden. Discussions focused on AI adoption in business, practical applications of the technology and how companies can turn AI development into measurable business results.

In his keynote presentation, “Where AI Really Is in 2026 and How to Spot the Use Cases Worth Building”, Mika Aho explored the current capabilities of AI, the main obstacles companies face when developing AI solutions and what it takes to turn a promising idea into a viable, commercially valuable solution.

AI adoption in business does not automatically lead to commercial success

According to McKinsey research presented by Aho, around 90% of organisations use AI in at least one business function. However, only 37% have seen an impact on operating profit, and just 6% have achieved an improvement of more than 5%.

Aho explained that AI projects often run into difficulties before development even begins, because companies have not clearly defined the problem they want to solve. Without clear objectives and metrics, it becomes difficult to assess whether a solution has delivered meaningful benefits.

Another common obstacle is the quality and availability of data. An initial prototype may work well, but integrating it into a company’s existing systems can prove more challenging than expected. The necessary data may also turn out to be incomplete or fragmented.

A third challenge arises during implementation. Even a technically successful AI solution may not be commercially viable if it is expensive to operate, requires constant human review or is not adopted by employees. An AI project’s success must therefore be assessed across the entire business process, rather than by the performance of the technology alone.

How can companies identify AI ideas worth developing?

An analysis of approximately 150 AI ideas presented by Aho showed that more than half focused on improving the efficiency of existing processes. Companies most often wanted to automate repetitive tasks, such as preparing quotations. Although such solutions can save time and reduce costs, they may not provide a lasting competitive advantage.

Aho saw greater potential in solutions that help companies make better use of their data, identify the causes of problems and make more informed business decisions. However, the main obstacle to implementing these ideas is often poor data quality or limited access to the necessary information.

Aho also stressed that rapid advances in AI do not mean that the technology can already manage every complex workflow independently. For example, if an AI agent must complete ten consecutive tasks, each with a 95% probability of success, the probability of completing the entire sequence without error is only around 60%. More complex AI solutions therefore need checkpoints, validation procedures and opportunities for human intervention.

Nor does time saved through AI necessarily translate into real savings. If AI produces a document in minutes, but an employee spends as long checking it as they would have spent writing it manually, the expected benefit disappears.

Aho recommended assessing AI ideas against three key questions:

• Does the solution address a real, measurable problem?
• Is developing it commercially viable?
• Does the company have the necessary data and technical capabilities?

His analysis identified four features shared by AI projects that had successfully reached implementation: a clearly defined business problem, accessible data, a designated business owner within the company and an understanding of who will use the solution and who will benefit from the value it creates.

However, the greatest potential may lie beyond automating existing tasks. Aho pointed out that AI can enable companies to develop entirely new services and business models. For example, businesses may be able to charge clients for a specific outcome rather than hours worked, changing the way their services are priced.

To build a lasting competitive advantage, companies should therefore consider what new value they can create by combining their own data and industry expertise with AI.

Companies from four countries shared their experiences of implementing AI

Alongside Mika Aho’s keynote, representatives of four companies shared their experiences at the AI Ideation Day: Andris Voitkans from Groglass in Latvia, Mark Sorsa-Leslie from Auttaa in Finland, Mattias Engström from Augurium in Sweden and Ralf Ellervee from Ethos in Estonia.

The event also introduced the international RAISE growth programme. During individual mentoring sessions, participants had the opportunity to discuss the technical feasibility and commercial potential of their AI ideas, as well as the next steps towards development.

RAISE helps companies turn AI ideas into practical solutions

The AI Ideation Day was organised as part of the international RAISE (Regional AI Initiative for Scaling Enterprises) project, which supports growth-stage small and medium-sized enterprises in developing AI-based solutions and achieving measurable business growth.

The programme will select 16 companies from Estonia, Latvia, Finland and Sweden with a concrete AI development idea, ambitions for growth and the readiness to pilot a solution within their business.

RAISE offers participating companies individual mentoring, practical workshops and international connections, and matches them with suitable AI solution providers to develop and pilot their ideas. Each selected company can receive up to €14,000 worth of funded AI development support for its pilot project. Participation in the programme is free of charge.

If your company is in a growth stage, operates in international markets or plans to expand abroad, and has a concrete idea for using AI to develop a new product or service, improve an existing solution or create a new business model, we encourage you to apply to RAISE. The programme is particularly suited to ambitious companies ready to put their AI ideas into practice but needing additional technical expertise and a development partner.

Applications are open until 20 November 2026. Explore the RAISE programme and submit your company’s AI idea!

The RAISE project is implemented by Tehnopol in Estonia, Linköping Science Park in Sweden, Latvian IT Cluster in Latvia and KIRAHub in Finland. The project is co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg Central Baltic Programme 2021–2027.

View the photo gallery from the RAISE AI Ideation Day.