Retail leads AI satisfaction as healthcare outspends all sectors

Research from Lenovo has found significant differences in satisfaction and investment strategies regarding artificial intelligence across retail, finance, and healthcare sectors in EMEA.

The CIO Playbook 2025 study, conducted in partnership with IDC, surveyed IT leaders across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. It reveals that the retail sector leads in satisfaction with AI, with 96% of AI deployments there either meeting or exceeding expectations, outstripping other industries.

The study highlights that while finance and healthcare are also directing increasing resources to artificial intelligence, their results and approaches diverge, showing that different industries are at distinct stages in their AI journeys with varying degrees of success and satisfaction.

Retail and finance approaches

Results indicate that the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) industry is adopting a notably cautious approach to AI compared to other sectors. Only 7% of organisations within BFSI have adopted AI to date, and just 38% of expected future AI budgets are directed towards generative AI in 2025 - the lowest proportion among all sectors covered in the report.

This measured approach appears to be delivering positive outcomes. BFSI organisations report that 33% of their AI projects have exceeded expectations, the highest such rate in the study. According to the report, when AI is deployed in this sector, it tends to be well-aligned with clearly defined operational needs and workloads, which may contribute to superior outcomes and satisfaction.

The retail sector similarly maintains a moderate stance, with 61% of organisations currently only piloting AI projects. Despite recording below-average projected spending growth - anticipated at 97% - the sector achieves high satisfaction, with almost every deployment so far either meeting or surpassing expectations. This figure, at 96%, marks the highest combined satisfaction score across all industries surveyed.

Healthcare's rapid investment and challenges

The healthcare industry is increasing AI investment at a faster rate than any other sector, with projected spending set to rise by 169% over 2025. Despite this rapid investment, healthcare reports the lowest rate of AI adoption and the largest proportion of organisations finding that their AI implementations have fallen short of expectations.

The study suggests this gap may stem from a shortage of internal expertise or defined strategy in deploying AI within healthcare settings. It further indicates an increased necessity for external support and comprehensive planning to ensure effective and successful AI rollouts in the sector.

Sector-specific journeys

Simone Larsson, Head of Enterprise AI at Lenovo, commented on the findings and the varied nature of AI deployment across industries.

These findings confirm that there's no one-size-fits-all approach to AI. Whether businesses are looking to take a bold leap with AI, or a more measured step-by-step approach, every industry faces unique challenges and opportunities. Regardless of these factors, identification of business challenges and opportunity areas followed by the development of a robust plan provides a foundation on which to build a successful AI deployment.

The CIO Playbook 2025 is intended to help IT executives evaluate their own progress and learn from peer experiences across sectors and geographies. The report provides insights for developing AI strategies, setting infrastructure priorities, and navigating digital transformation in the years ahead.

Study methodology

The research, Europe and Middle East CIO Playbook 2025: It's Time for AI-nomics, featured responses from 620 IT decision-makers in nine markets, including Denmark, Eastern Europe, France, Germany, Italy, the Middle East, Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The study was undertaken during November 2024.

The findings reflect a heterogeneous AI landscape in EMEA, where rate of adoption, satisfaction, and investment outlooks vary by sector, and effective deployment remains linked to tailored planning and sector-specific needs.