CEOs express worries about the growth of AI challenges

• CEOs face the imperative to reinvent their companies, with generative AI pivotal in ensuring future viability and competitiveness.
• 45% of CEOs doubt their companies’ future without changes, emphasizing the need for business model reinvention and AI adoption.
• Generative AI emerges as a crucial tool for CEOs to drive efficiency and innovation in response to global business challenges.

Change is the only constant; businesses are facing an imperative to adapt and evolve like never before. With rapid technological advancements, shifting market dynamics, and the emergence of global challenges, corporate strategy and leadership are being reshaped. CEOs now stand at a critical juncture, faced with the decision to either reinvent their organizations for future success or risk obsolescence amid relentless innovation and competition.

The urgency of corporate reinvention

A year ago, PwC revealed that around 40% of global CEOs believed their companies would not be viable in a decade if they continued on their current course. This stark revelation sparked widespread discussions between PwC partners and CEOs worldwide, leading many to wonder whether their companies fell into the vulnerable 40% or the more secure 60%. These conversations often led to the realization that a transformative approach was essential for organizational survival and prosperity in the coming years.

PwC’s recent Global CEO Survey indicates that most companies are beginning to embrace reinvention. However, despite efforts to modify business models, CEOs are increasingly concerned about the long-term survival of their organizations. Of the 4,702 CEOs who participated in the survey, many expressed optimism about global economic growth, but nearly half still doubted their companies’ viability over the next decade without significant changes.

The drive for reinvention is becoming more urgent. CEOs foresee greater challenges from technology, climate change, and other global megatrends in the next three years than in the past five years. This trend is particularly pronounced among the 45% of CEOs who are less confident about their companies’ future, with these leaders being more proactive in pursuing business model reinvention, especially in smaller organizations.

CEOs report significant inefficiencies in routine company activities, such as meetings and emails, estimating that around 40% of the time spent on these tasks is unproductive. This inefficiency equates to a considerable loss in productivity, akin to a self-imposed tax of approximately US$10 trillion. Generative AI, anticipated by 60% of CEOs to create efficiency benefits, could play a crucial role in alleviating these burdens.

The 27th Annual Global CEO Survey by PwC shows that 97% of CEOs have made some changes in how their companies operate, with 76% undertaking actions that significantly impacted their business models over the past five years. This response reflects growing concerns, as 45% of CEOs now doubt their companies’ viability beyond the next decade, an increase from 39% a year earlier.

The survey also highlights an expected increase in pressures influencing business model changes in the next three years, including technology shifts, evolving customer preferences, and climate change. These factors, except supply chain instability, are anticipated to have a more significant impact than in the previous five years.

The role of generative AI in various companies

In addition to climate change, technological disruption, particularly generative AI, is a vital focus of the survey. This technology is at a crucial point, poised to transform business models and redefine work processes across industries. CEOs recognize both the rapid adoption and the disruptive potential of generative AI.

Over the next year, about half of the CEOs expect generative AI to enhance stakeholder trust, and 60% foresee improvements in product or service quality. In the next three years, nearly 70% anticipate increased competition and changes to their business models due to generative AI and a need for new skills in their workforce. CEOs who have already broadly implemented generative AI in their companies are more optimistic about its transformative potential in the short and medium term.

Overall, CEOs predict various positive business impacts from generative AI in the near future, including revenue increases through improved product quality, customer trust, and efficiency gains. This aligns with PwC’s Global Risk Survey 2023 findings, where 60% of respondents view generative AI more as an opportunity than a risk.

Societal impact and navigating AI challenges

The societal impact of generative AI remains uncertain, with potential short-term job reductions as one of the efficiency benefits. A quarter of CEOs expect to reduce their workforce by at least 5% in 2024 due to generative AI. However, companies are also exploring growth and revenue opportunities, which may lead to offsetting hires in other areas.

For instance, while 14% of technology CEOs plan workforce reductions due to generative AI, 56% anticipate hiring in 2024, a rate significantly higher than the global average. Overall, 39% of CEOs expect their company’s headcount to increase by at least 5% in the next 12 months, highlighting the dynamic nature of AI-influenced employment trends.

This situation underscores the importance for CEOs to engage their workforce in the transition to generative AI. Emphasizing transparency, purpose-driven strategies, and trust in AI-related plans can help employees adapt and innovate with the technology, despite concerns about job security. CEOs need to manage the balance between short-term job losses and the long-term job creation potential of AI.

As generative AI continues to gain momentum, experts in the field are raising concerns about its potential unintended consequences. CEOs share these worries, particularly regarding cybersecurity risks and the increased likelihood of misinformation spreading within their companies. A third of CEOs expect generative AI to exacerbate bias towards certain employee or customer groups over the next year. These apprehensions highlight the need for ongoing vigilance as the role of generative AI in business becomes more complex.

To navigate these challenges, CEOs must approach generative AI adoption quickly and responsibly. It’s essential to consider all risk dimensions associated with AI, starting from strategy and extending to the impact on employees. Setting clear priorities, establishing robust internal controls for data privacy and AI model training, and monitoring third-party AI risk management are crucial. CEOs should also keep abreast of regulatory developments related to data privacy, AI bias, and governance. Upgrading cyber-programs to include more sophisticated risk modeling, possibly using generative AI for cyberdefense, will be integral to managing these emerging risks.

In conclusion, as generative AI transforms the business landscape, CEOs must balance seizing its opportunities and mitigating its challenges. This new technological era demands a proactive and thoughtful approach to ensure that businesses adapt to change and shape a sustainable and prosperous future.

---

---

---