CEOs want to spend more on AI - but they aren't seeing any big returns just yet

Date:
Wed, 21 Jan 2026 10:22:39 +0000

Description:
Revenue growth is still pretty low, but businesses continue to invest in AI and explore next-gen agentic models.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Only 9% of UK organizations have successfully scaled AI Company constraints are the issue not the technology itself PwC calls for clearer goals and readiness to adapt as the landscape changes

New research has claimed that while four in five (81%) CEOs are now prioritizing technology, AI and data investments, up from three in five (60%) in 2025, many are still not seeing the returns they'd hoped for.

Barely one in 10 (9%) of UK organizations surveyed by PwC have successfully scaled AI most others are still either in the early stages, or they're still planning.

But the need for AI is clear half (52%) see it as key to competitiveness as its utility goes beyond basic chatbot applications. AI ROI is still low despite persistent investments

PwC blames the gap on internal barriers and company challenges rather than defective AI for the most part, noting talent shortages in particular. Only one in four UK CEOs believe they can attract high-quality AI talent, which is far below the 42% global average a proportion that's still lower than ideal.

One-third of PwC's respondents said bureaucracy was preventing them from
going forward with their strategies, and nearly as many (29%) cited tech constraints.

However, while only 30% of UK CEOs have attributed revenue growth to AI, this is still notably higher than the 26% global average, suggesting Britain's businesses are doing something right even if they're less confident that current AI investments are sufficient compared with the global average.

"Those with clear goals and the agility to adapt will shape the competitive landscape ahead," PwC CTO Umang Paw said.

PwC also found nearly half (49%) of firms are actively building AI skills, infrastructure and governance, while others are focusing on data foundations, ethics, compliance and security. The report calls this a 'foundations first' approach.

There's also appetite for next-generation technologies, with four in five (81%) exploring or developing agentic AI, which Paw sees as key: "As AI moves beyond chatbots to being an active part of how business operate via agentic tools, we are already seeing greater value from organisations using AI as a catalyst for business-led transformation, rather than treating it as a technology project."

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/ceos-want-to-spend-more-on-ai-but-they-arent-see ing-any-big-returns-just-yet


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