AI Delivers $1.36 Return for Every $1 Invested, Basware Study Reveals

Companies are realizing a 136% spike in return on investment (ROI) from AI in financial technology. Savings exceed $1.36m for every $1m invested over a three-year period, according to a global survey.

Amid economic turbulence, fueled by tariffs and global trade disruptions, AI is being tied directly to enterprises’ financial performance.

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Trillions of dollars flow into AI investments as companies chase ROI hope. With the global AI market set to surge to $4.8 trillion by 2033, this trend is only set to grow for the foreseeable future.

But most companies still struggle to prove returns. New research make these proven returns critical for economic growth.

82% of businesses investing significantly in AI see an increase in revenue, while 53% are seeing an increase in gross profit, compared to those not investing as heavily.

The findings were revealed in Basware’s AI to ROI report, conducted by independent research firm, Financial Times Longitude, observing the attitudes of AI for 400 global CFOs at enterprise businesses.

AI reality check 

The survey found that cost efficiency tops every CFO’s priority list, with 32% naming it their biggest transformation goal.

Finance teams are facing mounting pressure to do more with less as cash flow issues persist. Manual processes in companies create bottlenecks, increase errors, and drain resources.

In contrast, it was found that companies investing in AI are able to tackle their biggest challenges – data accuracy, fraud detection, and process delays.

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75% report that AI enables its employees to focus on strategic activities instead of repetitive manual work.

Jason Kurtz, CEO of Basware, commented on the findings: “We’ve been speaking with customers during our World Tour and it’s clear that some finance leaders are facing the most pressure they’ve felt in 40 years. Companies prioritizing AI investment in areas that drive significant ROI becomes essential for gaining CFO and boardroom approval. It’s not solely about saving money but funding the ability to accelerate growth.”

AI is no longer optional – it’s essential 

The 136% ROI achieved by successful companies proves AI works when applied correctly to specific business problems.

To address the issues being faced by finance teams, Basware is launching InvoiceAI. InvoiceAI brings AI into Basware’s software across the invoice lifecycle in a way that helps AP teams maximize the technology.

Basware’s InvoiceAI roadmap features 16 new products in development. Two of the first products launched include:

• AP Business Agent – a GenAI-powered tool that summarizes invoices. It translates invoice numbers into words to help AP teams combine statistical analysis with business context. It spots patterns that humans may miss. It gives business users instant, AI-generated guidance on what to do with an invoice – right inside their approval workflow.

• AP Data Agent – an Insights tool that allows users to ask questions around invoices. Using natural language processing, it allows them to get clear answers about their invoices and produce reports. It provides recommendations on how to improve AP processes and better manage working capital.

“InvoiceAI isn’t just two new products – it’s our framework for bringing AI advances directly into the invoice lifecycle as the technology evolves,” added Jason Kurtz. “We’re helping customers gain complete control of every invoice every time by staying ahead of whatever AI breakthrough comes next.”

40 Years of Invoice Lifecycle Management Leadership

Basware is celebrating 40 years of Invoice Lifecycle Management. During the four decades, Basware has handled more than $10.1 trillion in business spend – more than the economic output of the UK, Japan, and Australia.

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