KPMG 2025 CEO Outlook

KPMG released its annual CEO Outlook survey today, gathering the perspectives of over 1,300 corporate leaders worldwide on the evolving business landscape. Now in its 11th year, the survey reveals that the confidence of CEOs in the global economy has hit a five-year low (68 percent).

Yet, 79 percent of CEOs remain optimistic about their own organisations’ prospects and are strongly backing a combination of investment in AI, and retaining and retraining of high-potential talent, to sustain and fuel future growth.

It is a complex picture that is both challenging and energising CEOs as they pursue growth, organisational prosperity and sustainable practices that will safeguard the business for the long term.

Key Highlights:

• AI remains a top investment priority, with 69 percent of CEOs planning to allocate 10 to 20 percent of their budgets to AI over the next 12 months. Nearly 71 percent say AI is a top investment priority for 2026.
• Confidence in the global economy has dropped to 68 percent, its lowest level since 2021, continuing a long-term trend of declining optimism.
• Despite ongoing economic pressures, 92 percent of leaders plan to increase headcount over the next 12 months. However, 70 percent are concerned about competition for AI talent and 77 percent cite workforce upskilling as a challenge, underscoring the intensifying race for talent.
• 61 percent of CEOs now express confidence that they can meet their net-zero goals by 2030, a significant increase from 51 percent in 2024.
• Cybercrime and cyber insecurity have emerged as the top risk to growth, rising from third place last year to the top concern among CEOs. AI workforce readiness or upskilling of workforce on AI comes in next, with the successful integration of AI into business processes ranking third.

For more insights, please refer to the global press release at this link and the insights summary at this link.