Why Mid-Market Companies Stall on AI Execution

Why Mid-Market Companies Stall on AI Execution

And why a $150/hour automation specialist might deliver more ROI than a million-dollar roadmap why a $150/hour automation specialist might deliver more ROI than a million-dollar roadmap.

 

Overview:

 

AI execution for mid-market companies is becoming a growing challenge. According to a recent Gartner report, 80% of enterprises will have used generative AI APIs or deployed GenAI-enabled apps by 2026. Yet, many mid-market companies I speak with feel stuck…not from a lack of interest, but from a bottleneck between AI strategy and execution.

 

In short:

 

They’ve built a committee, but not a capability.

 

 

1. The AI Committee Trap

A common pattern:

  • A task force is formed
  • Internal brainstorming sessions are held
  • Consultants are hired
  • A roadmap is created
  • And then… nothing happens

The intent is right, but execution grinds to a halt because no one is empowered to own and build the actual solution.

 

2. Strategy ≠ Execution

We’ve seen companies spend hundreds of thousands on AI strategy only to have basic automations… like invoice matching or internal knowledge retrieval…still handled manually.

Compare that to the impact of a single automation specialist or AI workflow engineer who comes in, builds, tests, and ships high-value use cases in weeks. One recent example: a contract specialist we placed delivered a working prototype of an AI-powered data enrichment tool in 10 days.

 

3. What Actually Works

Companies that are succeeding with AI tend to follow this path:

  • Start small: Identify low-risk, high-friction processes
  • Empower a builder: Not just a planner
  • Iterate: Fast feedback cycles and direct user involvement
  • Measure ROI: In dollars saved or hours freed, not PowerPoint slides

 

Final Thought

 

If your AI plan is still in the slide deck phase six months in…you’re not alone. But the fastest way to move forward may not be another strategy session.

It might be hiring someone who can build a working solution next week.