The 15% Club: How leading consumer goods firms turn AI Pilots into scaled success

Why do most AI projects stall while a select few scale? Discover how the elite 15% of consumer goods firms crack the code.

Only 15% of AI projects in consumer goods make it from proof-of-concept to scaled enterprise deployment. This exclusive Market Impact Report from HFS Research, in partnership with Cognizant, uncovers the playbook used by the AI front-runners—dubbed “The 15% Club”—to convert AI promise into measurable business impact.

Drawing insights from in-depth interviews with 15 senior leaders across the consumer goods industry—including heads of marketing, supply chain, R&D, innovation, and digital—this research lays bare the organizational, cultural, and strategic decisions that separate scaled success from pilot purgatory.

What you’ll learn

The DNA of the 15% Club

Uncover the traits that distinguish top performers—visionary leadership, outcome-driven AI, agile funding, and a culture of experimentation.

Exhibit: Pragmatic approach, flexible funding, enterprise-wide execution mindset and a lot more set ‘the 15% club’ apart

Source: HFS analysis of the North American consumer goods market

Why pilots stall and what to do about it

Explore the organizational roadblocks that doom 85% of AI projects, from budget inflexibility to lack of executive sponsorship—and how leaders overcome them.

The right budgeting and governance approach

Learn how top firms break free from annual budget constraints by adopting flexible, outcome-based funding models—and establish cross-functional AI councils to align innovation with enterprise priorities.

Real-world use cases

See how companies are scaling AI in content creation, supply chain planning, R&D, revenue management, and beyond—with measurable ROI.

Roadmaps for scalable AI

Learn how forward-looking firms are transitioning from assistive to agentic AI, building adaptive roadmaps that integrate AI into the business core.

How to partner smarter

Get practical guidance on navigating the evolving ecosystem of AI vendors, service providers, and tech platforms—without losing strategic control or IP ownership.

Why this report matters

AI isn’t a tech problem—it’s an enterprise transformation challenge. The next few years will define whether consumer goods companies thrive or lag. This report delivers actionable insights to help your organization join the 15% that are already reaping the rewards of scaled AI—faster innovation, smarter operations, and deeper customer engagement.

To read the complete report, click the download button below.