Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is creating new opportunities for software companies across the AI supply chain, but it’s also making innovation more expensive.

Across industries, a new behavior is emerging inside boardrooms and operating teams: “tokenmaxxing.” The term captures a growing tendency for businesses to aggressively deploy AI tools—not because they are strategically aligned, but because they signal modernity, efficiency, and innovation.

The United States installed 34,200 industrial robots in 2024-9% lower than 2023. In the meantime, China increased new installations by 7% and now has 2 million+ robots in operation, more than the next four countries combined.

When China lined up a troupe of humanoid robots to dance in front of the German Chancellor earlier this year, a lot of people saw an impressive display of the nation’s technological prowess — but I saw something else. I’m from Texas. I know bragging when I see it.

In our conversations across dozens of industries – with PE firms, CEOs, and accounting firm managing partners alike – a consistent set of questions keeps surfacing.

While Gen Z might have a stigma against them in the workplace and employers are already firing them in droves, business experts are warning companies not to let go of their younger employees just yet.

There’s a great divide in the world of AI right now. On one side is the technology: the large language models, the AI agents, and the mega corporations promoting them.

As companies continue to invest billions in AI, employees and shareholders are more frequently demanding to see tangible results. Yet, at the end of 2025, only 15% of executives reported that AI integrations increased profits.

The conversation around AI failure has matured, but it has not yet reached the root of the issue.

Think you missed the AI boat? Probably not. Start small, focus on fit and value, and you can still outpace the fast but sloppy adopters.