Global businesses increase AI investment amid rising costs and legal risks

Global business trends show a significant shift in artificial intelligence adoption, characterized by increasing investment and evolving operational challenges. Research from Boston Consulting Group indicates that 48.5% of companies are now generating meaningful value from AI, with AI spending nearly doubling to 3.3% of revenue. While banks lead in spending at 5.7% of revenue, telecommunications firms report high strategic clarity but lower revenue gains.

However, the transition to AI brings complex risks and costs. Experts highlight four primary legal and operational risks: copyright infringement, personal data leaks, breach of confidentiality, and hallucinations. Furthermore, a phenomenon of “invisible AI waste” has emerged; while the unit cost of tokens has dropped by approximately 80%, total corporate expenditures are rising because increased usage and complex agentic workflows consume significantly more volume.

In specific markets, adoption is taking diverse forms. In the UK, professional services firms face barriers such as liability uncertainty. In Singapore, businesses are pivoting toward Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to maintain visibility in AI-powered searches. Meanwhile, hardware developments, such as high-memory desktop PCs, are enabling more secure “local AI” processing to protect sensitive data from cloud exposure.