Why 2026 Is Touted as the Breakout Year for Enterprise AI

[lingriiddd]

Three years after ChatGPT ignited the enterprise AI boom, most companies are still struggling to see returns. An MIT survey found that 95% of enterprises aren’t realizing meaningful ROI from AI, despite massive spending. Yet enterprise VCs remain confident that 2026 will mark a turning point.

According to 24 enterprise-focused investors surveyed by TechCrunch, enterprises are moving past chaotic experimentation toward focused deployments. The belief is that infrastructure is largely in place, governance is improving, and companies are beginning to understand where AI actually delivers value—inside specific workflows, not as a blanket solution. Whether 2026 truly breaks the cycle of overpromising remains to be seen, but expectations are converging around disciplined adoption rather than hype-driven pilots.

[bonk]

hmm interesting