Emburse’s “AI Spending Paradox” report reveals the hidden costs of unchecked AI enthusiasm

Emburse, the company defining Expense Intelligence through AI-powered travel and spend orchestration, released new data today that shows business leaders are using AI as a “Trojan horse” to get their software purchases approved. In a survey of 1,500 corporate decision makers in the U.S. and UK, 58% said it’s easier to approve the purchase of AI tools compared to non-AI tools, while 62% admit to framing purchases as AI initiatives to secure funding.

The new report, The AI Spending Paradox, reveals how the pressure to appear “AI-ready” is impacting tightening budgets and vendor consolidation across companies of all sizes. Sixty-five percent of business leaders report being instructed to reduce their number of vendors, cut total spend, or both. Eighty-eight percent are being pushed by leadership, IT, or procurement to use specific vendors. And nearly a third (31%) say they lack the budget to purchase AI tools despite pressure to use them.

Business leaders report strong discipline in SaaS spending decisions:

• 95% of business leaders look at their team’s usage data when making software renewal decisions.
• 77% of respondents report that senior leaders in their company often or always make software purchasing and vendor consolidation decisions together.
• 93% say that their company has a corporate contract or corporate rate with its vendors.

Yet, when it comes to AI adoption, these best practices often fall short. The mandate to keep budgets tight while maintaining an appearance of AI readiness, has created a loophole for employees to adopt or keep tools by framing them as AI, even when they are not.

“Tying tech spend to AI initiatives may have helped teams push purchases through in the past, but that approach won’t withstand today’s budget pressures,” said Marne Martin, CEO of Emburse. “Organizations are becoming more selective about where they place their AI bets, and by 2026, every AI investment will face the same rigorous ROI and value scrutiny as any other software purchase. With AI costs varying widely — especially under consumption-based models — leaders need real-time visibility into who is spending, on what, and why. That’s where Emburse Expense Intelligence provides real value with embedded AI; it gives organizations the transparency, predictive insight, and proactive control they need to ensure every AI dollar is accountable and delivers measurable results for the business.”

The AI Spending Paradox report also explores how decision-making power has shifted inside organizations, which criteria drive spending decisions, and how leaders can regain control in the vendor selection process.

To learn more, read the full report here.

About Emburse

Trusted globally by more than 12 million finance leaders, travel managers, and professionals, Emburse serves over 20,000 organizations in 200 countries and territories — including Global 2000 enterprises, SMBs, public sector agencies, and nonprofits.

By proactively managing and accurately validating spend, Emburse ensures robust financial governance, enhanced compliance, and unsurpassed visibility into spend behaviors - all while dramatically streamlining the process for every employee.

Emburse Expense Intelligence transforms reactive expense management into infrastructure for strategic growth. Powered by Emburse AI, it orchestrates corporate spend across travel booking, reimbursements, AP, and payments, embedding dynamic policy controls and predictive insights directly into workflows. This real-time approach empowers organizations to adapt quickly, reduce risk, and guide spend before money leaves the business.

Emburse Expense Intelligence is more than a feature, it’s a framework for transformation, reshaping the role of finance teams from administrators to strategic drivers of organizational success. To learn more about Emburse, visit www.emburse.com and check out our social channels @emburse

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251209799006/en/

In a survey of 1,500 corporate decision makers in the U.S. and UK, 58% said it’s easier to approve the purchase of AI tools compared to non-AI tools, while 62% admit to framing purchases as AI initiatives to secure funding.