Most businesses say they've been caught out by unexpected high AI bills

Date:
Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:10:00 +0000

Description:
Businesses are paying more than they expected for AI, and IT teams are under increased pressure to prove ROI.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Asana data finds 82% of firms have faced unexpected AI bills in the past year Risky AI outcomes have affected more than half (53%) AI systems lack context and workers are being forced to pick up the pieces Four in five (82%) UK IT leaders say their organization has experienced unexpected or unplanned AI-related cost
increases in the last 12 months, with many investing heavily in the tech but unable to predict the true full breadth of costs, including deployment, governance, integration and scaling.

The data, revealed by Asana, suggests businesses are indeed moving from pilot to scaled adoption, but they're not considering the cost changes associated with broader deployment. Organizations are also struggling to prove their
ROI, but IT leaders are under increasing pressure to deliver to the board. Latest Videos From Watch full video here: AI bills are soaring "The challenge now is turning that into measurable business value," Asana UKI and Northern Europe Head Christina Francis commented.

Three in five (61%) British ITDMs say they're either highly or fully accountable for AI-driven business outcomes, but those outcomes aren't always proving to be so positive. Half (53%) say an AI tool or agent has taken
action in the past year that's landed them in hot water, such as financial damage, legal issues or reputational harm. You may like UK businesses spend 11.7 billion on 'AI slop' corrections every year, with 1 out of every 4 hours wasted Only 31% of UK firms report positive returns on AI investments More
and more businesses are struggling to deal with 'uncontrolled' AI

Actual deployments might not be so well-thought-out either, because half
(46%) say AI projects often fail because they lack complete context without access to workflows, internal knowledge and business processes. More than a third (37%) of knowledge workers even spend upwards of 30 minutes every day correcting AI outputs due to a lack of context.

"AI is most powerful when it has context: the goals, decisions and workflows that sit around the work," Francis added. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me
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Asana also uncovered the extent of shadow or unapproved AI, which leaves companies paying for services that aren't always being used. One in four
(25%) say they frequently used unauthorized AI, and two-fifths (38%)
regularly use personal AI accounts for work-related tasks.

Ultimately, the report concludes that workers are prepared to accept faster ways of working, but they'll also find alternatives if approved tools aren't up to the task. As ever, the best advice is for companies to meet workers where they are and build a strategy around them to deliver the best ROI and cost savings. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred
source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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