Value Realization Cited as No. 1 Goal for AI-Powered Contracting in Icertis and World Commerce & Contracting Study

Icertis and World Commerce & Contracting have released the 2025 AI Adoption in Contracting report to deliver insights into the impact of AI on contract and commercial management. 

Based on input from more than 300 organizations globally across 17 sectors, the study points to AI in contracting as a lifeline to drive margins as businesses navigate the new commercial landscape. Value realization has become the top aspiration for AI adoption in contracting, tempered only by persisting implementation barriers that point to the importance of selecting the right AI technology partner.

“Global trade and regulations are undergoing drastic changes, and businesses will be called to negotiate and restructure innumerable contracts as they seek to re-shore supply chains, minimize the impact of tariffs, and drive stronger commercial outcomes to outpace competitors. AI in contracting is critical to help enterprises navigate this uncertainty and complexity,” said Bernadette Bulacan, Chief Evangelist, Icertis. “By collaborating with technology partners to address AI adoption challenges while keeping financial goals at the forefront, enterprises have a unique opportunity to realize the full potential of every business relationship amidst rising economic pressures.”

Key findings from the report include:

• AI-powered contracting is rising as a revenue driver. In 2025, 40 percent of businesses recognized cost savings as a key benefit of AI implementation in contracting processes—a near 10 percent increase from the previous year. Additionally, nearly 40 percent of businesses cited revenue generation as a top benefit. In contrast, focus on increased productivity declined more than 10 percent year-over-year, marking a mindset shift from efficiency-focused gains to prioritization of financial performance as a viable outcome.
• Enterprises are leveraging AI to capture value in supplier relationships. More than 70 percent of businesses expect to use AI for supplier evaluation and selection in 2025, while nearly 60 percent aim to leverage the technology for negotiation support, indicating a strong reliance on AI to restructure supplier networks and optimize costs.
• AI ROI is no longer a top barrier. Despite growing enthusiasm for AI, five of the top 10 barriers to adoption were cited by more businesses year-over-year, including security and privacy concerns, data output quality, resistance to change, lack of budget, and integration challenges. Conversely, uncertain ROI was noted by nearly 10% fewer respondents as a barrier year-over-year, pointing to directional improvement in demonstrating measurable returns with AI. 

“Selecting the right AI technology partner and gaining buy-in from financial leaders are crucial tenets to effectively realize goals, overcome obstacles, and achieve tangible ROI through AI in contracting,” said Tim Cummins, President, World Commerce & Contracting. “This year’s data held many surprise findings, particularly in the achieved benefits of upskilling and knowledge. As adoption surges, AI is equipping the workforce to be far better at critical thinking, serving as a further call to action for legal, finance, and procurement.” 

World Commerce & Contracting and Icertis publish the annual AI study based on responses from organizations across technology, aerospace and defense, public sector, and more. The largest proportion of respondents come from North America and Europe. 

Download the full report to learn more: AI Adoption in Contracting