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# AI investments yield no measurable returns for most companies
- URL: https://adjacent.media/signals/ai-investments-yield-no-measurable-returns-for-most-companies/
- Published: 2026-10-26T16:16:22.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-26T16:16:22.000Z
- Description: An Apollo economist’s analysis directly contradicts the venture-backed narrative that AI adoption automatically creates shareholder value. The current wave of enterprise AI spending appears driven by competitive fear and sunk-cost psychology rather than actual productivity gains.
- Author: Jonathan Greene
- Tags: #signal, theme-ai, ai adoption, enterprise ai roi, ai investment

Source: [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/25/ai-delivers-zero-financial-payoff-to-most-companies-according-to-apollo-economist/?ref=adjacent.media)

An Apollo economist's analysis directly contradicts the venture-backed narrative that AI adoption automatically creates shareholder value. The current wave of enterprise AI spending appears driven by competitive fear and sunk-cost psychology rather than actual productivity gains. Companies are spending billions on AI infrastructure without clear ROI mechanisms, which will eventually force either genuine use-case innovation or a significant reallocation of tech budgets. Most organizations are buying AI as a defensive move or status symbol rather than solving specific, measurable business problems that justify the cost.