In a news release on October 9, Bain & Company and KLAS Research revealed the results of a study that found that US healthcare providers and payers are increasing their Artificial Intelligence (AI) investments mainly to boost profit margins, focusing on using technology to improve returns.

The focus on technology solutions that maximize profits is increasing as the healthcare sector’s use of AI shifts from broad exploration to targeted implementation for financial gains, according to the Bain and KLAS's 2025 Healthcare IT Spending study.

The study showed that 70 percent of providers and 80 percent of payers now have an AI strategy either in place or in development, up from 60 percent for both groups in last year’s Bain/KLAS survey.  

Furthermore, the study found that revenue cycle management (RCM) and clinical workflow are key priorities for providers, while payers focus on utilization and network management. Providers remain capacity-constrained and prioritize solutions with a clear return on investment (ROI), according to the press announcement. Payers deal with higher medical loss ratios, increased utilization rates, and greater risk-adjustment scrutiny as they prepare for enrollment pressures.

“Executives want quickly scalable solutions that address key business challenges and pay for themselves with tangible results and short time-to-value windows,” said Aaron Feinberg, partner in Bain & Company’s Healthcare & Life Sciences and Private Equity practice, in a statement. “This is all about the bottom line now.”

"AI in healthcare is here to stay, and providers and payers are wisely moving from exploration to execution,” said Adam Gale, CEO of KLAS Research, in a statement.

Bain/KLAS surveyed some 228 US healthcare providers and payer executives for this study.