Based on a survey of 1,350 CEOs conducted between 5 August 5 and 10 September*, 2025 on global business outlook and strategic priorities, a global accounting/audit and business consultancy firm has shared some data findings with the media.

First, 68% of respondents had expressed the lowest level of confidence in the global economy in five years (since the COVID-19 pandemic).

Second, 79% had cited optimism about their own organizations’ prospects, and backing investment priorities accordingly.

Other findings

Third, 69% of respondents indicated plans to allocate 10% to 20% of their corporate budgets to AI over the next 12 months. Also:

  • 71% had cited AI as a top investment priority for 2026
  • 92% had cited plans to increase headcount over the next 12 months
  • 70% had indicated concern about competition for AI talent
  • 77% had cited workforce upskilling as a challenge
  • 61% had expressed confidence in meeting Net Zero goals by 2030, compared to 51% in a similar survey in 2024
  • Cybercrime and cyber insecurity were cited as the top growth risk, rising from third place in a previous year’s survey
  • AI workforce readiness and successful AI integration ranked as the second and third most significant risks to growth among respondents

According to Bill Thomas, Global Chairman and CEO, KPMG International, the firm that commissioned the survey of large corporations’ CEOs: “… there’s a careful balance required between innovation and responsibility. CEO responses on AI exemplify this, with leaders recognizing the need to embrace innovation while managing concerns over ethics, regulation, upskilling and access to talent.”

*The CEOs were from Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Spain, UK and US and 12 industry sectors (asset management, automotive, banking, consumer and retail, energy, infrastructure, healthcare, insurance, life sciences, manufacturing, technology, and  telecommunications), with all respondents overseeing firms with annual revenues over US$500m. No other basic methodological details were supplied.