AI ROI Reality Check: Google vs Wharton vs MIT (Oct 22, 2026)

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! 🎧 Listen ADS-FREE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/djamgamind-executive-ai-intelligence-business-forensics/id1885359791🌐 Daily Briefing: https://djamgamind.com/daily📚 Research Hub: https://djamgamind.com/pdfs [SPECIAL EDITION] Google's survey of 2,403 executives says 86% see AI driving cost-efficient growth. Wharton says 7% are getting it fully right. MIT said 95% saw no return. We line them up and find what the winners do differently. In this episode: - The question changed: "AI ROI" searches overtook "how to use AI"; token efficiency beats tokenmaxxing. - Google Cloud's view: 26% report accelerating returns. Their three habits: clear ownership, required training, AI in core processes. - How to read a vendor survey: who answered, who paid, and the 12% who track AI value formally. - Wharton's check: only 7% succeed on all three markers; growth metrics beat hours saved, 35% vs 13%. - MIT's skeptic view: 95% saw no return in 2025, and why AI that forgets is part of the problem. - The hidden cost: governance and security, after this week's AI agent incidents. - The AI ROI scorecard: five steps for your next budget review. Sources & links: https://enoumen.substack.com