IBM announced on May 4 the results of a new global study showing that the rise of artificial intelligence is prompting CEOs to redesign C-suite roles and business structures. The annual IBM CEO study surveyed 2,000 CEOs worldwide and found that as AI becomes more integrated into businesses, leaders are under increasing pressure to rethink how organizations operate.
The report highlights that AI is accelerating changes in leadership responsibilities and decision-making processes. Gary Cohn, IBM Vice Chairman, wrote in the foreword, “The CEO’s role has always been to lead through disruption. What AI changes is the velocity and consequences of leadership. Enterprises that succeed will operate AI-first – not as a layer of technology, but as a new operating model. Decision cycles will compress. Boundaries between functions will dissolve. Advantage will accrue to those who can learn, adapt, and execute faster than their competitors.”
According to survey findings, 76% of organizations now have a Chief AI Officer (CAIO), up from just 26% in 2025. Organizations with an “AI-first” approach have scaled more initiatives across their enterprises compared to peers. Additionally, most CEOs said they are comfortable making major strategic decisions based on input generated by AI systems.
Mohamad Ali, Senior Vice President at IBM Consulting said: “AI is changing how work gets done, bringing people and software together in new ways, and it’s changing how people come together in the workplace.” He added: “The CEOs delivering real results from AI transformation aren’t just deploying AI faster, they’re redesigning their organizations to bring together the best people with the best technology.”
The study also shows growing expectations for all functional leaders to become technology experts within their domains as accountability for AI expands beyond specialized roles. By 2030, nearly half of operational decisions could be made by artificial intelligence without human intervention according to surveyed executives.
Pablo T. Rivero, CEO of Resy and SVP at American Express said: “It’s not laying AI on top of your existing tools and services. It’s reimagining the entire process.”
Broader implications suggest companies see success with artificial intelligence depending more on workforce adoption than technological capability alone; many employees may need reskilling or upskilling over coming years.
For more details about this research or executive perspectives featured in the report addendum visit https://www.ibm.com/thought-leadership/institute-business-value/en-us/c-suite-study/ceo.
