Research from Lenovo has revealed that 96% of retail sector AI deployments are meeting or exceeding expectations – outpacing other industries. While finance and healthcare are investing heavily, their results show mixed returns, highlighting sharp differences in how AI is being applied across sectors.
► Retail sector reports the highest AI satisfaction, with 96% of deployments meeting or exceeding expectations
► Healthcare industry sees the biggest increase in AI investment over 2025 at 169%
► Finance allocates lowest share of expected future AI spending to GenAI (38%), but AI projects are most likely to exceed expectations (33%)
The CIO Playbook 2025, Lenovo’s study of EMEA IT leaders, compiled in partnership with IDC, uncovers sharply different attitudes, investment strategies, and outcomes across the different industries.
Of all the sectors analysed, the banking, finance and insurance sector stands out for its cautious approach. Only 7% of organisations have adopted AI with just 38% of AI budgets allocated to GenAI in 2025. However, firms in this sector reported the highest rate of AI projects exceeding expectations (33%). This suggests that when AI is deployed, it is well-aligned with specific needs and workloads.
A similar pattern is visible in retail, where 61% of organisations are still in the pilot phase. Despite below-average projected spending growth (97%), the sector reported a remarkable 96% of AI deployments to date either meeting or exceeding expectations.
Healthcare has seen rapid investment with uneven results, but is moving quickly to catch up, with a 169% increase in AI spending planned over 2025. Currently, healthcare has the lowest AI adoption rate and the highest proportion of organisations reporting that AI fell short of expectations. The report suggests that stronger external support and guidance may be required here.
Commenting on the results, Simone Larsson, head of enterprise AI, Lenovo, said: ‘These findings confirm that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to AI. Whether businesses are looking to take a bold leap with AI, or a more measured step-by-step approach, every industry faces unique challenges and opportunities. Regardless of these factors, identification of business challenges and opportunity areas followed by the development of a robust plan provides a foundation on which to build a successful AI deployment.’
The CIO Playbook 2025 is designed to help IT leaders benchmark their progress and learn from peers. It provides actionable insights on AI strategy, infrastructure, and transformation priorities in 2025 and beyond. The full CIO Playbook 2025 report for EMEA can be downloaded here.
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