Private-company CEOs are pushing ahead with aggressive investment in artificial intelligence despite economic volatility, even as talent shortages and widening skills gaps threaten to slow adoption, according to KPMG’s 2025 Global Private Company CEO Outlook released on Wednesday.
The survey, which includes insights from leaders across major markets and sectors, found that CEOs now view AI as central to improving operational performance, boosting innovation and managing rising geopolitical and regulatory risks. KPMG said the technology has become a defining competitive factor for private enterprises, fuelled further by strong government incentives aimed at accelerating AI-led growth.
Nearly half of CEOs surveyed said they plan to prioritise compliance and reporting standards to meet investor and regulatory expectations, while 30 percent expect to pursue high-impact M&A over the next three years. At the same time, 48 percent intend to expand into new markets or regions as part of broader diversification strategies.
But the momentum around AI adoption is matched by a clear anxiety about workforce readiness. CEOs cited growing shortages in AI-related skills, deepening generational divides in technological capability and mounting pressure to retrain employees at scale. KPMG noted that leaders increasingly see talent transformation as a structural challenge for long-term competitiveness, with many organisations redesigning roles and accelerating upskilling programmes.
Akhilesh Tuteja, partner and national leader for clients and markets at KPMG in India, said private-company CEOs are no longer responding to disruption defensively but are “actively redefining their business models”. He added that leaders now view technology and innovation — particularly AI — as essential to building sustainable growth in unpredictable conditions.
The report also highlights rising complexity in the CEO role. Leaders said they now face intensified scrutiny on resilience, digital governance and workforce strategy, as companies navigate volatile political environments, cybersecurity risks and increasingly demanding climate and ESG expectations.
Looking ahead, private-company CEOs remain cautiously optimistic. Many anticipate stronger earnings potential and believe AI experimentation will unlock operational improvements in the near term. But they also warn that regulatory uncertainty, data readiness and workforce constraints could determine the pace and success of AI adoption.
The KPMG outlook suggests that the next phase of private-company growth will hinge on how effectively firms can balance AI investment with people strategy — ensuring technology transformation does not outpace the capabilities of the workforce expected to deliver it.