Driving Real Business Impact with AI Starts Here
AI delivers the most value when it’s aligned to real business priorities and built on a foundation that’s ready to scale.
Go from Ambition to Business Impact
AI has crossed the threshold from curiosity to capability. Industry leaders are using AI to unlock faster insights, automate manual work and improve experiences for customers and employees alike.
But the path to meaningful AI outcomes isn’t always clear. Many organizations are still stuck in pilot mode, experimenting without a solid strategy or struggling to prove ROI.
To drive real business impact, AI must be aligned to strategic goals, backed by a strong operational foundation and guided by transparent, measurable outcomes.
Here’s how you can drive real business impact with AI.
It Begins with Business, Not the Model
Too often, AI projects begin with the question, “What can we automate?” A better place to start is, “What are we trying to solve?”
AI works best when it’s tied to real business objectives such as improving forecasting, streamlining operations or personalizing customer engagement. AI must be thought of as a tool that can execute strategic intent instead of just a capability.
of IT leaders say executing AI projects is a major challenge1
of organizations have launched at least one AI project1
of IT leaders say AI will help them innovate faster1
Build a Foundation That Can Scale
AI only performs as well as the ecosystem around it. If your data is siloed, your infrastructure isn’t AI-optimized, or your teams lack the bandwidth or skills to implement AI effectively, scale becomes a roadblock.
Scalable success requires building cloud-first infrastructure, streamlining data operations, and aligning the right people and processes. By building for flexibility, organizations can position themselves to deploy AI faster and expand more confidently across teams and platforms.
64% of IT decision-makers say their organizations have seen limited returns from AI investments1
50% or less is the reported ROI for most AI projects1
26% of organizations say lack of skills and training blocks AI progress1
Turn Caution into Confidence
For many, AI still feels unfamiliar. Concerns about cost, compliance and unclear ROI can slow progress. But with the right guardrails in place such as governance frameworks, performance monitoring and expert guidance, AI becomes more approachable and easier to trust. When implemented with the business in mind, AI delivers real, measurable outcomes that drive progress across the organization.
Results that can be achieved with a successful AI approach
Faster, more accurate decision-making
Improved customer and employee experiences
Time savings through automation of repetitive tasks
Better use of data to uncover insights and trends
Increased innovation and agility across teams
Partner with a Team That’s Built for the Long Game
Moving from proof of concept to full deployment isn’t just about tools — it’s about trust. CDW brings together the strategy, services and powerful partner ecosystem to help you operate AI at every level. From early-stage exploration to post-deployment optimization, get the insight, the infrastructure and the right people to turn AI into an engine for innovation and efficiency.
Key capabilities that support sustainable success
AI governance and risk frameworks
Privacy, compliance and ethical AI integration
Model performance monitoring
Human-in-the-loop evaluation workflows
Cross-functional accountability structures
“We can use AI to look at why customers are calling your organization. It can help us understand what the top problems are that your customers are having, and we can use that information to innovate.”
Ken Drazin, Director of Digital Experience, CDW
If your AI ambitions are bigger than your results, it’s time to change the conversation. Let’s talk about what AI can actually do and how CDW can help you make it happen.
Source: 1 2025 CDW AI Research Report