Global chief executives are showing markedly lower confidence in their companies’ short-term revenue prospects, according to the 2026 Global CEO Survey released by PwC.
The annual survey, which covered more than 4,400 CEOs across 95 countries, reveals that only around 30 percent of executives are confident their organisations will deliver revenue growth over the next 12 months — the lowest level recorded in the past five years.
Business leaders cited several pressing challenges dampening optimism, including persistent geopolitical uncertainty, intensifying cyber threats, and the difficulty of translating technological investments into financial results. Roughly one-fifth of respondents said their companies are highly exposed to risks from trade tariffs, and about one-third cited cyber risk as a major concern.
Notably, the survey shows a growing divide among companies in how they benefit from artificial intelligence. While AI remains a strategic focus, more than half of surveyed CEOs have yet to see significant cost savings or revenue gains from their AI investments, indicating that many firms are still in the early stages of integrating these technologies into core business processes.
PwC Global Chairman Mohamed Kande said the findings underscore the urgency for companies to accelerate transformation efforts, especially around digital and AI adoption,to remain competitive in an increasingly complex global marketplace.
