Everyone’s Talking About AI. Few Are Actually Using It.

Real-world examples, survey insights, and a smarter path forward.

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AI is Everywhere, Except Where It Matters

Artificial Intelligence. It’s the subject of boardroom strategy sessions, keynote addresses, and every other blog post on LinkedIn.

But behind the noise, the reality is quieter.

We asked 23 business professionals* across manufacturing, operations, and strategy, a simple question:

Are your clients using AI in their operations to automate tasks or speed up decisions?

Only 30% said yes. 39% said no. And a full 30% weren’t even sure.

In other words: even in 2025, many companies are still watching from the sidelines. They’re talking about AI. But not deploying it where it matters most, in the day-to-day grind of operations.

Wait! What Even Is AI?*

Let’s clear something up before we go further: AI isn’t magic. And it’s definitely not new.

At its core, Artificial Intelligence is the ability of machines to mimic human-like reasoning using data, pattern recognition, and algorithms to make decisions.

But in the business world, we tend to label everything with a blinking light as “AI.”

Is a chatbot AI? Sometimes.

Is an Excel macro AI? Nope.

Is a robot? Only if it’s learning and adjusting, not just repeating.

If your warehouse robot follows a fixed path every day, that’s automation.But if it reroutes based on new inventory patterns or traffic flows, that’s AI. And that difference matters.

When AI is done right, it learns. It improves. It adapts. Done wrong? It becomes just another shiny tool in a bloated tech stack.

Right now, many companies are using “AI” to generate endless content, automate responses, or make executive dashboards flashier.

But that’s not intelligence. It’s decoration. The most powerful AI isn’t loud. It’s quiet. It works behind the scenes, catching risks, spotting trends, and making operations smoother without asking for credit. And that’s where the real opportunity lives: using AI not to replace people, but to remove the stuff that gets in their way.

The Reality from the Front Lines

What does it look like when AI isn’t used?

It looks like human bottlenecks.

• Manual data entry.

• Late decisions.

• Unpredictable delivery timelines.

• Endless spreadsheets and disconnected dashboards.

  
  

And while AI-powered solutions exist, and work, most organizations hesitate to make the leap. This isn't because the tech doesn’t deliver. It’s because the business isn’t ready.

And yet, those who are using AI are already seeing measurable, compounding advantages.

Where AI Is Working: Operations That Are Already Reaping the Benefits

Let’s start with the practical side of AI and the place it shines: operations.

Manufacturing: CloudNC

CloudNC has used AI to automate CNC machine programming. They’ve reduced setup time by 80%, accelerating production without compromising precision. What used to take hours is now done in minutes, with fewer errors.

Supply Chain: Mars + Celonis

Mars partnered with Celonis to use AI for truckload consolidation and supply chain optimization. The result? An 80% reduction in manual planning and a smoother flow of goods with improved on-time delivery.

Healthcare Billing: Omega Healthcare

AI has automated over 100 million transactions per year, saving 15,000 employee hours every month. One client reported a 30% ROI on implementation.

HR Ops: AI in Hiring and Compliance

One survey respondent detailed how facial recognition is used to eliminate fraud in timekeeping and facility access. AI also helps write job descriptions, benchmark salaries, and predict employee attrition. It even flags compliance risks before audits do.

Energy Management: Hilton

Hilton Hotels deployed AI to optimize energy consumption across hundreds of properties. They’ve saved over $1 billion in utility costs while reducing emissions by 30%.

Executive Decisioning: ERP + CRM Insights

Another respondent described a tool that analyzes CRM and ERP data weekly to deliver executive reports, instantly. It tracks sales, product performance, customer cohorts, and lifetime value. Executives no longer wait for data, but have access to the data so they can take action. Other companies that have embraced AI to streamline operations: 

Amazon: AI-Powered Logistics

Siemens: Smart Factory Optimization

GE Aviation: AI in Predictive Maintenance

These examples aren’t experimental. They’re operational, real, and saving millions.

Survey Voices: Missed Opportunities and Cautionary Tales

Despite these wins, the majority of surveyed professionals told us their clients haven’t taken action.

And the ones who had?

Some ran into trouble, but not from AI itself, but from how it was deployed.

“We ended up with multiple disconnected systems and a poor user experience.”

Others pointed to fear of change, poor integration, and lack of leadership buy-in:

“Reticence to invest substantial sums” “Shiny tools that don’t talk to each other” “Resistance to change and increased cost”

In other words, the challenge isn’t AI, it’s adoption.

The Right Jobs for AI

AI is not meant to be a magic button. It doesn’t replace strategic thinking. It doesn’t innovate.What it does is make the machine run smoother.

Here’s where AI thrives:

• Pattern recognition: like catching defects before they become recalls

• Predictive modeling: forecasting delays or customer churn

• Decision support: recommending next steps from hundreds of data points

• Automation: eliminating repetitive, error-prone workflows

  
  

If it’s repetitive, structured, and data-heavy, AI is your best hire.

The High Cost of Hesitation

It’s easy to delay AI adoption. Budgets are tight. The tech seems confusing. Integration feels risky. But delay comes with a cost—a cost most companies don’t see until it’s too late.

According to a McKinsey report, companies that adopt AI early stand to increase cash flow by 20% or more, while laggards may lose up to 20% in the same timeframe.

Those who wait are already behind.

And it’s not just about money, it’s about speed, agility, and resilience.

• Imagine navigating a supply chain disruption with AI-based forecasting vs. an Excel sheet.

• Imagine launching a product with real-time customer sentiment analysis vs. quarterly reports.

• Imagine solving a compliance issue before it happens because your AI flagged it in HR data.

  
  

AI isn’t a cost center. It’s a performance engine.

What AI Shouldn’t Do: Replace Human Creativity

And here’s where it doesn’t belong.

Too often, when budgets tighten, the first cut is marketing. Or worse, they keep the budget, but hand it off to machines.

Letting AI generate all your content. Automating every email. Chasing efficiency at the cost of connection.

But your customers aren’t looking for efficiency. They’re looking for meaning.

AI can write headlines. But it can’t feel what it’s like to be your customer. It can’t empathize, surprise, or inspire. It can’t build relationships.

That’s your team’s job. And it’s still irreplaceable.

Strategic Reallocation: Streamline to Grow

The smart move isn’t to replace your creative team with AI. It’s to free them up.

Use AI to simplify your backend:

• Reduce time spent on data wrangling

• Automate reports

• Eliminate repetitive workflows

• Speed up decision cycles

  
  

Then use the saved time and capital to reinvest in human insight. Because what AI clears out, your people can fill with creativity, strategy, and connection.

The Strategy Advantage

There’s a blueprint for getting this right. It’s not about plugging in tools and hoping for the best. It’s about aligning AI with business strategy, especially marketing.

My new book, The Strategy Blueprint, lays out the roadmap.

If you’re serious about growth, customer alignment, and long-term brand clarity, this is a must-read.

It’s not a tech manual. It’s a strategic guide for leaders who know AI is a tool, not a plan.

Conclusion: Don’t Automate Connection. Empower It.

AI is here to stay. But how we use it will determine who gets ahead and who gets automated into irrelevance.

Use it where it’s strong: operations, planning, pattern recognition. Let it amplify your processes.

Then double down on what only people can do: Connect. Create. Convince. Build trust.

And when you’re ready to tell your story with power and purpose, reach out to us at Craft.

We’ll help you scale what matters most, your brand’s human impact.

*AI Usage Survey conducted by Craft Marketing and Branding among business professionals/trusted advisors, members of Orange County Distributors and Manufacturer's ProVisors (OCDAM Affinity Group 2025)