Fortune/Deloitte CEO Survey: Fall 2024
Optimism among surveyed CEOs surges after US elections
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Key insights
Outlook and opportunities: CEOs see many opportunities following the election. Topping the list include taxes (66%), continued adoption of AI and GenAI (66%), business growth (62%), and access to capital (58%). They also see opportunity in regulation (48%).
Where opportunities lag: CEOs saw the lowest opportunity in geopolitical stability (16%), climate and sustainability (7%), and international trade and tariffs (7%), perhaps in response to President-elect Trump’s proposal to impose across-the-board tariffs on imports. They only saw moderate opportunity in the areas of labor and workforce, health care, consumer confidence, and technology and AI policy.
Technology: Roughly half of CEOs say they will continue to prioritize investments in the adoption of AI and Generative AI, indicating moving beyond the hype cycle and into practical, transformative applications. Thirteen percent see less opportunity for the time being in other transformative technologies, such as quantum.
Investments for the future: CEOs plan to prioritize investments for business growth (88%), core business transformation (59%), as well as talent acquisition and transformation (54%).
Jason Girzadas, CEO, Deloitte US
We are seeing renewed optimism among CEOs who are not merely navigating complexities but also are embracing them as catalysts for innovation and growth. CEOs are increasing investments in AI, including Generative AI, with advancements in AI agents and industry-specific use cases helping drive practical transformative applications. The resilience and forward-thinking leadership demonstrated by CEOs will help them prepare for and take advantage of the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Statistics that stand out
42%
of CEOs are optimistic about the global economy, up from 7% in the Fall 2023 survey
48%
see opportunity in technology/AI policy, but 12% see risk ahead
84%
of CEOs are optimistic or very optimistic about their company’s performance over the next 12 months
88%
plan to invest in business growth including products, services, or market innovations
About the survey
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