AI is being deployed widely across enterprises, but adoption is being measured far more than value. The AI value curve compares the cost of a task as performed today with the full cost of doing it with AI, revealing a roughly $2.5 trillion annual global opportunity in deploying the technology across certain sectors, regions, and occupations. Three patterns stand out: The strongest economics come from augmenting high-skilled, higher-wage work rather than large volumes of lower-wage work; there is substantial potential value in numerous sectors beyond technology and financial services, including healthcare and education; and the same use case can pay off in one market but not another. Capturing the opportunity requires leaders to focus AI investments where the economics are strongest, manage costs alongside adoption, and plan how to redeploy the people AI frees up.