BARC Study Reveals: Companies See Strong Potential in AI for Planning – But Usage Remains Limited
Businesses are under pressure. Faced with rising costs, limited resources, slow processes and mounting uncertainty, companies are being forced to rethink how they plan and manage performance. Against this backdrop, effective planning is more critical than ever — yet traditional methods are falling short. According to The Planning Survey 25, BARC’s latest global study, many organizations recognize these shortcomings but still struggle to improve the efficiency of their planning processes.
“In many organizations, planning is too slow, too manual and not sufficiently integrated to cope with today’s pace of change,” says Dr. Christian Fuchs, Head of Data & Analytics Research at BARC. “There’s strong belief in the potential of AI – but turning that into practice is proving difficult.”
AI: between vision and reality
Artificial intelligence is widely seen as a game-changer in corporate planning. 69% of companies consider predictive planning and forecasting to be highly relevant, and 62% plan to use AI, machine learning or generative AI for performance management.
At the same time, the gap between plans and reality is growing. While 59% intend to use AI for planning and forecasting in the future, only 11% currently do so – a drop compared to previous years. Just 4% currently use AI for performance management.
“We’re seeing a strategic disconnect,” says Christian Fuchs. “The potential is recognized – but most companies are not yet able to act on it.”
Barriers: resources, strategy and data
Several factors are holding companies back. Over one-third of survey participants – especially small and mid-sized firms – do not yet have a clear AI strategy. The most frequently cited obstacle: a lack of skilled personnel and know-how. Many also struggle with weak governance frameworks for AI and difficulties identifying practical use cases. But above all, poor data is a core issue: low data quality, fragmented systems and missing integration severely limit the effectiveness of AI.
“AI is only as good as the data it works with,” says Christian Fuchs. “Without solid, well-integrated data, AI remains a theoretical concept – not only in planning.”
Clear potential – but no quick wins
Despite the obstacles, expectations remain high. Most companies hope AI will help address long-standing weaknesses in planning processes: too much manual effort, lack of speed, low efficiency and questionable forecast quality. Only 2% of respondents believe AI will not help solve any of their challenges – a clear signal of its perceived value.
When asked about the most promising use cases, companies pointed to predictive forecasting, anomaly detection, early warning systems, planning agents, conversational tools and AI copilots to support proactive action.
Conclusion: AI won’t fix planning on its own – but it can move it forward
The Planning Survey 25 confirms that AI holds significant promise for transforming corporate planning and performance management. But success is not guaranteed. Real progress requires realistic expectations, clear priorities and a strong foundation in data and governance. Companies need to understand AI not as a replacement for people – but as a digital teammate, sparring partner and enabler of faster, more intelligent decision-making.
About The Planning Survey
The Planning Survey 25 was conducted by BARC from November 2024 to February 2025, with 1,187 respondents worldwide answering a series of questions about their planning software. The survey offers a comparison of 19 leading planning tools across 33 key performance indicators including Business Value, Customer Satisfaction, User Experience and Competitiveness. For more information, visit https://barc.com/reviews/corporate-performance-management-en/ and https://barc.com/research/the-planning-survey/.
