According to PwC’s 28th Annual Global CEO Survey, nearly 60% of global CEOs are optimistic about economic growth improving over the next 12 months. The survey, launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos, gathered insights from 4,701 CEOs across 109 countries.
The findings show that 42% of CEOs plan to increase their workforce by at least 5% this year, while only 17% foresee reductions. This positive outlook is largely driven by the adoption of emerging technologies like generative AI (GenAI), with more than half of CEOs reporting efficiency gains and 32% expecting revenue growth in 2024.
However, trust issues remain, as only a third of CEOs expressed high confidence in integrating AI into key business processes. Despite this, 49% anticipate profitability growth from AI over the next year.
The survey also highlights a sense of urgency for business reinvention. Forty percent of CEOs believe their companies won’t survive in the next decade without significant change. While 63% are taking steps to transform value creation, slow resource reallocation is hindering agility, with two-thirds of companies moving less than 20% of their financial and human resources annually.
On the climate front, 33% of CEOs report revenue growth from climate-related investments over the past five years, though regulatory complexities remain a significant barrier to further progress.
