Only 9% of CEOs call AI agents transformational, KPMG finds

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Few chief executives are ready to call AI agents transformational, even as most rank AI a top investment priority. KPMG reports that only 9% of the CEOs it surveyed use that word for agents in their own organization.

The 2026 KPMG CEO Outlook covers more than 1,300 CEOs worldwide, 400 of them in the United States. Among U.S. respondents, 39% report significant efficiency or growth gains from agents, and 43% see a moderate impact from targeted use cases.

Investment plans

84% rank AI as a top investment priority for the next three years. 65% plan to put at least 10% of their capital budget into it within the next year. Asked when returns will arrive, 14% say within six months to a year, 68% within one to three years and 13% within three to five years.

64% of U.S. CEOs say they are moving at the right pace or ahead, and four in five say they have a clear view of how AI will disrupt their business models.

Risks and headcount

85% expect cybercrime and cyber insecurity to affect their prosperity over the next three years, the top-ranked risk in the survey. Inflation worries 78% and geopolitical conflict 79%.

89% of U.S. CEOs expect headcount to grow over three years. 60% name the skills gap as their biggest workforce challenge. According to HR Dive's coverage, 81% said AI has pushed them to rethink employee training, and 75% said it has changed the skills they need for entry-level roles.

"AI and cyber strategies have become inseparable," said Tim Walsh, KPMG U.S. Chair and CEO. He added that "CEOs are leading with conviction and a heightened sense of urgency to accelerate change within their organizations."

Source: KPMG