Microsoft & IDC highlights the top trends shaping the future of AI adoption across industries, from Gen AI to employee productivity tools.
Today, AI is reshaping industries from healthcare to retail, finance to manufacturing, driving substantial improvements in productivity, cost management and innovation.
While Gen AI, which enables machines to create content, is one of the most talked-about developments, businesses are increasingly turning to more tailored AI solutions to meet specific operational needs.
In a recent study commissioned by Microsoft and conducted by IDC (International Data Corporation), the global provider of market intelligence, the potential economic impact of AI is becoming clearer, with an expected US$19.9tn contribution to the global economy by 2030.
Using Microsoft’s Copilot AI as an example of how AI is transforming industries across the world, Alysa Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer of Commercial Cloud & AI at Microsoft, says in a blogpost:
“In telecommunications, Lumen Technologies estimates Copilot is saving sellers an average of four hours a week, equating to $50 million annually.
“In healthcare, Chi Mei Medical Centre doctors now spend 15 minutes instead of an hour writing medical reports and nurses can document patient information in under five minutes.”
Meanwhile, she adds: “Pharmacists are now able to double the number of patients they see per day.
“In retail, AI models help Coles predict the flow of 20,000 stock-keeping units to 850 stores with remarkable accuracy, generating 1.6 billion predictions daily.”
Here, we take a look at the reports insights for companies seeking to navigate this AI-driven transformation.
1: ‘Enhanced productivity has become table stakes’
One of the central findings of Microsoft’s 2024 AI study, is that enhancing employee productivity has become a critical business objective.
According to the research, 92% of AI users are applying AI tools specifically to boost productivity.
Among these companies, nearly half report that AI’s impact on customer engagement, cost management and service innovation will be significant in the coming years.
For instance, Dentsu, a global marketing and advertising agency, is already using AI to streamline day-to-day tasks such as summarising meetings, generating presentations and preparing executive summaries.
“Copilot has transformed the way we deliver creative concepts to our clients, enabling real-time collaboration,” says Takuya Kodama, Business Strategy Manager at Dentsu.
The company reports saving 15 to 30 minutes per employee per day thanks to AI automation, freeing up more time for strategic work.
This trend underscores the growing reliance on Gen AI tools that can automate routine tasks, providing businesses with significant efficiencies.
As AI technology matures, many firms are expecting even greater returns from these tools, which help reduce manual work and accelerate decision-making.
2: ‘Companies are gravitating to more advanced AI solutions’
While Gen AI tools such as Microsoft’s Copilot have gained traction in the market, the report also highlights a shift toward more advanced, customised AI solutions.
Many companies are looking to develop bespoke AI agents and applications tailored to specific business processes and industry needs.
The study forecasts that over the next 24 months, businesses will increasingly move beyond out-of-the-box tools to more specialised AI solutions.
One example of this trend is Siemens, the global engineering giant, which has developed the Siemens Industrial Copilot.
This solution addresses the rising complexity and labour shortages in manufacturing by automating tasks and enhancing operational efficiency.
“The Siemens Industrial Copilot for Engineering significantly eases our customers’ workload and addresses the pressing challenges of skill shortages,” says Boris Scharinger, AI Strategist at Siemens Digital Industries.
This shift represents a growing maturity in AI adoption as companies seek to apply AI in more complex and industry-specific contexts.
3: ‘Gen AI adoption and value is growing across industries’
The rapid rise of Gen AI is another key trend identified in the Microsoft/IDC study.
Adoption of Gen AI has increased from 55% of businesses using it in 2023 to 75% in 2024.
This surge is particularly evident in industries such as financial services, media, telecommunications and healthcare, where Gen AI tools are delivering measurable improvements in customer service, content creation and operational efficiency.
In the healthcare sector, Providence, a major US health system, is utilising AI to streamline patient care and improve clinical workflows.
For example, physicians using Microsoft’s DAX Copilot have reduced the time spent on administrative tasks, saving an average of 5.33 minutes per patient visit.
“80% of physicians have reported lower cognitive burden after using DAX Copilot,” says Sarah Vaezy, Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy and Digital Officer at Providence.
The growing value of Gen AI in these sectors is underscored by its ability to automate routine tasks, improve decision-making, and enhance patient care.
4: ‘AI leaders are seeing greater returns and accelerated innovation’
The Microsoft/IDC study also highlights the disparity in returns on AI investments between early adopters and those still in the early stages of AI implementation.
Companies that have integrated Gen AI into their operations are seeing an average return on investment (ROI) of 3.7x, while leaders in the space are achieving an ROI of up to 10.3x.
Södra, a Swedish forest industry group, is one of the companies that has realised significant returns from AI.
By using AI to manage climate impact data and make thousands of decisions each day, Södra has enhanced both its environmental sustainability and profitability.
Cristian Brolin, Chief Digital Officer at Södra, says: “With innovative AI technology from Microsoft, our business experts and data scientists have been able to help make us more sustainable while also improving revenue significantly”.
These results demonstrate that businesses already ahead in their AI adoption journey are reaping greater benefits, both financially and in terms of innovation.
5: ‘Looking ahead: Skilling remains a top challenge’
Despite the clear benefits of AI, a significant barrier to its widespread adoption remains the shortage of skilled workers capable of implementing and managing AI technologies.
The study also found that 30% of businesses surveyed are struggling to find employees with the necessary specialised AI skills.
This challenge is echoed in a separate report from Microsoft and LinkedIn, which found that 55% of business leaders are concerned about their ability to fill AI-related roles.
One organisation tackling this issue is the University of South Florida (USF), which is working with Microsoft to integrate AI into its operations and provide students with the skills they need to thrive in an AI-driven world.
“We’re giving students a leg up to do amazing things with AI as part of tomorrow’s workforce,” says Sidney Fernandes, Chief Information Officer and Vice President of Digital Experiences at USF.
The university is also among the first in the nation to establish a dedicated college for AI, cybersecurity and computing, helping to address the growing demand for AI talent.
As AI adoption grows, the need for skilled professionals will only increase, underlining the importance of investment in education and training to fully realise AI’s benefits.
“We are at an inflection point of autonomous agent development,” says Ritu Jyoti, GVP/GM, AI and Data Research at IDC.
“Business spending to adopt AI will have a cumulative global economic impact of $19.9 trillion through 2030.”
