Whereas CEOs once prioritised a handful of pressing concerns, now nearly every strategic issue requires attention. From talent retention and cost management to data strategy and innovation. This uptick in factors makes decision-making more consequential and time sensitive.
One of the most impactful technologies emerging is agentic AI: AI systems with the autonomy to understand context, make decisions, and execute tasks independently. Unlike traditional automation tools, agentic AI can manage complex workflows, optimise performance, and reduce the burden on human teams by handling repetitive, high-volume tasks.
As AI adoption expands, its value goes beyond productivity gains. It enables organisations to refocus skilled talent on strategic growth, customer experience, and innovation. The key challenge now isn’t whether to implement AI: it’s identifying where it can deliver the greatest business impact, how to reallocate resources and drive the cultural shift inside the organisation accordingly.
For leaders, embracing agentic AI is not just a technical upgrade; it’s a strategic move. In times when external factors can’t be controlled, using internal data and intelligent systems to gain operational leverage is a critical advantage. Choosing not to adopt AI is, increasingly, a choice not to compete. Recent IBM study showed 65% of UKI CEOs report that their organisation is actively adopting AI agents and is prepared to implement them at scale.
Lead boldly in the face of uncertainty
In the current climate of disruption, CEOs are embracing a bold new mindset: risk is the safest path forward. With 64% of CEOs fearing being left behind compels them to invest in technologies even before fully understanding their value. This shift reflects a growing belief that courage—not caution—is the key to competitive advantage. By leveraging AI agents for predictive insights and designing agile systems that support rapid transformation, CEOs are making aggressive moves with confidence, not recklessness. Courage isn’t born from certainty; it’s fuelled by confidence. This belief is redefining how today’s leaders invest, innovate, and chart bold paths through the unknown.
Focus on outcomes
We are now seeing businesses shift their focus from flashy experimentation to measurable outcomes. Our study highlighted that only 52% of CEOs felt their generative AI investments are delivering value beyond cost reduction – a clear signal that ROI must be redefined. With forecast accuracy now the top priority, leaders are moving away from trend-chasing and toward strategic clarity. That means setting precise KPIs for innovation and evaluating AI’s impact not just on efficiency, but on customer satisfaction, retention, and operational resilience. Encouragingly, 85% of CEOs expect positive returns from scaled AI efficiency investments by 2027 – but only if they stay focused on what truly moves the needle.
Build, buy, bot, and borrow to close skill gaps
With AI creating roles faster than companies can fill them. Many didn’t exist a year ago. But 31% of the workforce will need reskilling in the next three years to make the most of them. To address this challenge, CEOs are increasingly turning to the “build, buy, bot, and borrow” strategy – a multifaceted approach to addressing this urgently. This method enables organisations to reskill existing employees (build), recruit specialised talent (buy), integrate AI agents and assistants into workflows (bot), and tap into external partnerships for expertise they can’t source internally (borrow). With 65% of CEOs planning to use automation to address skill shortages and 66% focusing on fewer but higher-quality partnerships, this strategy offers a dynamic and resilient framework for talent acquisition and retention in a rapidly evolving market
In conclusion, embracing agentic AI is no longer a choice, but a necessity for businesses to remain competitive in today’s volatile landscape. By leveraging AI’s autonomy, predictive insights, and flexible systems, CEOs can make bold moves with confidence, focus on outcomes that drive strategic clarity, and address skill gaps through a multifaceted approach. As AI continues to redefine the business landscape, organisations that adopt a bold mindset and harness the power of agentic AI will be best positioned to thrive in the face of uncertainty and drive growth, innovation, and success.