How to Squeeze Your Way Into the Juicy 5%

AI failure has become the new corporate pastime.

According to a fresh MIT study, 95% of generative-AI projects stall before delivering results.* The models run, the budgets flow, and yet the business execution remains fuzzier than a peach in July.

In other words, companies are investing heavily in the promise of AI without laying the groundwork to make it useful.

Imagine handing your team a Ferrari while forgetting to build the road. The machine gleams, the engine roars, and still the wheels spin in place.

The Shift

The MIT study highlights that successful companies give AI a clear role in the business.

The 5% club designs pilots with sharp goals, measures outcomes from day one, and expands only when the results stack up. They build alignment across teams, turning AI into a shared engine of progress rather than a side project in a corner.

The from vague ambition to structured execution, creates momentum that compounds.

The Juice

Here’s how to stay in the 5% club and turn AI pilots into real wins:

The Zest

AI projects don’t just fail, they leave a trail of wasted budgets and half-finished dashboards. The 95% pile grows because leaders chase hype instead of outcomes.

The 5% play it differently. They start small, prove value, and scale with precision. They treat AI as part of the business core, not an experiment on the sidelines.

So here’s the squeeze: build your road before you buy the Ferrari. When you design with focus and measure with discipline, you’ll keep your projects sparkling long after the hype fades.

All the zest,

Cien 🍋

Build your AI Agents today: https://launchlemonade.app

Get Good With AI and join our masterclass: lu.ma/goodwithai3

Reference:

*https://www.techradar.com/pro/american-companies-have-invested-billions-in-ai-initiatives-but-have-basically-nothing-to-show-for-it

95% of AI Projects Fizzle Out

When Will Your AI Start Paying Rent?

AI Without Context Is Just Karaoke