Ask a heartland business owner about AI and you’ll usually get the same reaction: interested, but skeptical. They’ve heard the buzzwords before. However, they often haven’t seen how AI fits a business that runs on foot traffic, WhatsApp orders, and a small team.
That skepticism is understandable. MIT research published in 2025 found that 95% of generative AI implementations in enterprises show no measurable impact on profit and loss. In other words, most AI projects fail. Only 5% create consistent and measurable business value.
Meanwhile, most AI projects fail for similar reasons: unclear objectives and weak ROI tracking, poor data readiness and control, and a lack of ownership or accountability. In most cases, the issue is not the technology itself.
These are planning issues rather than technology issues. Fortunately, planning issues can be fixed before businesses spend money on implementation.
That was the key message shared during the Singapore Heartland Enterprise Summit (SHES) 2026 Pre-Summit Workshop: AI Success Blueprint for Heartland Businesses.