CEOs are taking the lead on AI as investments continue to surge, according to a new report. The AI Radar 2026 report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) surveyed nearly 2,400 executives, including 640 CEOs, from 16 markets around the world. It found that nearly three quarters (73%) of CEOs are now acting as the primary decision maker for AI within their organisation. This figure has doubled compared to last year and represents a major shift as CEOs replace chief information officers (CIOs) who were previously making the calls on AI. According to BCG, this shows the need for an executive to “connect the organizational and management dots that this revolutionary technology requires”.
Under the auspices of these CEOs, spending is set to surge, with companies expecting to more than double their spending in 2026 – from 0.8% of revenues currently to around 1.7%. Nearly all (90%) of the CEOs surveyed believe that AI agents will produce measurable returns in 2026, and around four-fifths are more optimistic about the ROI on their AI investments than they were this time last year. Confidence in the potential of AI appears unshakeable in the current climate, with 94% of all respondents saying that they will continue to invest in 2026, even if it takes longer to see a return.
Spending plans vary by industry but are increasing across all sectors
Spending levels vary quite widely by sector, the report reveals. Tech companies and financial institutions are both planning to spend around 2% of revenues on AI in 2026. This is more than twice as much as companies at the other end of the scale, with industrial and real estate firms planning to spend less than 1% of revenues on the technology.
When it comes to the areas of AI spending, 60% of budgets are being earmarked for agentic AI. This refers to autonomous AI systems that can independently plan, reason and take actions to achieve complex goals with minimal human oversight. This will allow AI to carry out multi-step workflows rather than being restricted to individual and tightly defined tasks. BCG said that this could lead to decision-making shifting “from slow approval chains to real-time action as agents and humans work collaboratively”. It added that CEOs can shape how AI delivers value, with those who embrace it determining the pace of progress.
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