New research from the IBM Institute for Business Value indicates that artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to play a significant role in business growth by 2030. According to the study, 79% of surveyed executives believe AI will substantially contribute to their revenue within the next four years, compared to 40% who say it does so today. However, only 24% of respondents have a clear understanding of where this future revenue will originate.
Despite some uncertainty about how AI will generate value, investment in the technology is projected to increase by about 150% between now and 2030. At the same time, 68% of executives express concern that their AI initiatives could fail if not properly integrated with core business operations.
“AI won’t just support businesses, it will define them,” said Mohamad Ali, Senior Vice President, IBM Consulting. “By 2030, the companies that win will weave AI into every decision and operation. They will own powerful AI assets, move faster than competitors, bring innovations to market quickly, and deliver real, measurable business results using technology and automation.”
The global survey collected responses from over 2,000 C-suite executives across multiple industries and regions. The findings show a shift in focus from using AI primarily for efficiency toward leveraging it for innovation. Currently, nearly half of AI spending targets efficiency improvements; by 2030, respondents expect this figure to drop as more funds are allocated toward innovation.
Most executives surveyed believe that competitive advantage in the coming years will stem from innovative uses of AI rather than simply optimizing resources. About two-thirds plan to reinvest productivity gains achieved through AI into new growth initiatives. Respondents anticipate that productivity could rise by up to 42% due to AI adoption by the end of the decade.
While many see advanced AI models as key to gaining an edge over competitors—57% cite model sophistication as important—only a minority have clarity on which models they will need in the future. A majority expect their organizations’ capabilities to be multi-model by 2030 and predict smaller language models may surpass larger ones in importance.
The study also found expectations for quantum computing’s impact: while most believe quantum-enabled AI could transform industries by 2030, less than one-third expect their organizations to be using quantum computing at that time.
AI is also expected to reshape leadership roles within enterprises. By 2030, one-quarter of boards may include an AI advisor or co-decision maker; three-quarters agree that leadership roles themselves will be redefined because of these technologies. Executives anticipate rapid changes in job requirements and skillsets—with many predicting current skills could become obsolete—and emphasize adaptability over specific technical abilities.
Additional perspectives from industry leaders highlight evolving workforce needs:
“The capabilities that transcend any particular job will remain very important: decision-making, judgment, strategy, collaboration skills, intuition, clarity of thought. Those things will become even more necessary in a world where you can delegate a lot of the underlying work to an agent.” — Aaron Levie, CEO and Co-Founder at Box
“Quantum will never stand alone. Classical computing, AI, and quantum must work together in connected workflows.” — Dr. Thomas Eckl, Chief Expert at Bosch
“AI’s future isn’t about bigger models. It’s about smarter integration with people and processes.” — Jinesh Dalal, Head and VP Technology Development at C-Metric
“We’ll need more problem solvers who understand both the business and the models—people who can marry technical capability with business insight. That’s the future of every company including ours.” — Umang Dharmik SVP and Head of IT at Mercedes-Benz Research Development India (MBRDI)
The full study provides further detail on how organizations can pursue “AI-first” strategies through operational integration and workforce transformation. The complete report is available at https://www.ibm.com/thought-leadership/institute-business-value/en-us/report/enterprise-2030.
IBM describes itself as a leading provider specializing in hybrid cloud solutions and artificial intelligence services for clients worldwide across sectors such as financial services and healthcare.
