C5i Launches AI Framework to Help CxOs Maximise Strategic ROI

AI and analytics company C5i has announced the launch of its proprietary AI Impact Model, a scientific framework designed to predict and optimise the business impact of enterprise AI investments. Developed to address a critical gap in how organisations realise measurable returns from AI, the model provides a structured, data-driven method to guide AI investment decisions. For CxOs, it acts as a strategic compass, helping prioritise high-impact AI initiatives, align them with business goals, and maximise ROI. It brings clarity to complex AI portfolios, enabling leaders to invest with confidence and measurable intent.

Piloted with several Fortune 500 companies, including Lenovo, the AI Impact Model is also being adopted into executive education. It will be taught as an elective under Kellogg School of Management’s online program on AI Strategies for Business Transformation.

A Scientific Framework for Strategic AI Decisions

The AI Impact Model evaluates AI initiatives across five key dimensions or “AI value levers”: problem definition, data, technology, talent, and execution. Each lever includes sub-variables that collectively influence the success of enterprise AI implementations.

Developed using real-world data from enterprise partners, the model enables leaders to run scenario analyses—predicting business impact and assessing how investments in specific levers can improve outcomes. The tool supports strategic trade-offs across multiple projects, helping organisations prioritise the most valuable initiatives within constrained resources.

Lenovo Leverages the Model to Optimise AI Portfolio

Among the early adopters is Lenovo, where the model is actively being used to assess and prioritise AI projects across the enterprise.

“We have always been at the cutting edge of leveraging data and technology. We have a long list of AI program opportunities, and we will leverage the AI Impact Model to prioritise within that list to optimise business impact,” said Ajit Sivadasan, President and Global Head of Ecommerce, Lenovo.

Prescriptive Intelligence Beyond Prioritisation

Ashwin Mittal, Executive Chairman of C5i, elaborated on the model’s differentiators: “For organisations investing in AI, the promise is great—but achieving business impact is hard. The AI Impact Model gives leaders a dependable way to prioritise their AI investments and also prescribe actionable steps to maximise returns.”

From Concept to Scale with Academic Validation

Co-created by Dr. Mohanbir Sawhney, Clinical Professor at Kellogg and Director of the Center for Research in Technology & Innovation, the model reflects a shift in enterprise AI from experimentation to execution.

“While companies are still experimenting with AI, they can afford to be explorative. But when deploying AI at scale, you need to think more carefully about returns,” said Dr. Sawhney. “The AI Impact Model assesses the ROI potential of AI, generative AI, and agentic AI across business functions and helps unlock value at scale.”

The elective course featuring the model will be offered as part of Kellogg School of Management’s AI Strategies for Business Transformation, allowing business leaders to gain hands-on insight into its application.