A recent global survey conducted by the IBM Institute for Business Value reveals that CEOs around the world are committed to advancing AI across their organizations, despite the challenges associated with rapidly evolving technologies.
The study, which gathered insights from 2,000 CEOs globally, found that business leaders are not only embracing AI agents today but are also preparing to scale their deployment significantly. In fact, they expect AI investment growth to more than double within the next two years.
Key findings show that 72% of CEOs view their company’s proprietary data as essential to unlocking the full potential of generative AI. Additionally, 68% believe that a unified, enterprise-wide data architecture is critical for effective cross-functional collaboration. However, the study also highlights a major hurdle: 50% of CEOs admit their organization’s technology infrastructure is fragmented, a consequence of rapid and sometimes disjointed tech investments.
In the report’s foreword, IBM Vice Chairman Gary Cohn emphasizes the importance of bold leadership in the face of uncertainty. “Only CEOs who have the courage to see risk as opportunity will reap the greatest rewards as AI adoption accelerates,” he writes. “In unpredictable environments, leveraging AI and enterprise data to identify strategic advantages can be a game-changer.”
Mohamad Ali, Senior Vice President and Head of IBM Consulting, notes that CEOs are walking a fine line between achieving quick returns on AI investments and committing to long-term innovation. “We know that companies that continue to innovate—especially during uncertain times—will emerge stronger and better positioned to seize new opportunities,” he said.
Other notable insights from the IBM CEO Study include:
– CEOs face a constant tension between pursuing short-term ROI and investing in long-term innovation.
– Only 16% of AI initiatives have been scaled company-wide, and just 25% have met ROI expectations over the past three years.
– 65% of CEOs are prioritizing AI use cases based on return potential, and 68% say they have clear metrics to measure innovation ROI.
– 52% report that generative AI investments are delivering benefits beyond simple cost savings.
– While 64% of CEOs feel urgency to adopt emerging technologies to avoid falling behind, only 37% believe it’s better to move quickly and risk being wrong than to be slow and precise.
– 59% struggle to balance funding between current operations and innovation during times of disruption, and 67% say more flexible budgeting is needed to capitalize on digital growth opportunities.
– By 2027, 77% expect strong returns from scaled AI investments, and 85% anticipate improved efficiency and cost savings.
– CEOs believe that strategic leadership and specialized talent are key to maximizing AI’s value, with 69% linking executive team diversity and strategic expertise to business success.
– 67% say placing the right people in the right roles with proper incentives is critical to differentiation.
– Common barriers to innovation include siloed operations, fear of risk, and lack of AI-related expertise.
– CEOs estimate that 31% of their workforce will require retraining or reskilling in the next three years, and 65% plan to use technology to bridge skill gaps.
– 54% are hiring for AI-related roles that didn’t exist just a year ago.
The full IBM CEO Study can be accessed here.
Discover more from WIREDGORILLA
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
