One In Five CEOs Now Uses Generative AI

During President Joe Biden’s recent Oval Office address announcing his decision not to seek reelection, a notable trend among CEOs emerged. Regardless of political affiliation or company size, business leaders frequently mention regulatory challenges, ranging from the FTC’s ban on noncompete agreements and antitrust investigations to proposed taxes on unrealised capital gains and executive orders causing policy fluctuations. With rapid changes in climate, technology disruption, and AI, many CEOs emphasise the need for regulatory clarity and guidelines.

The latest Fortune/Deloitte CEO Survey revealed that 46% of respondents ranked regulation and taxes as the business areas most likely to be affected by the U.S. election. In comparison, only 27% included immigration in their top three concerns. Geopolitical instability, inflation, and regulation were identified as the top external issues expected to influence business strategies over the next 12 months.

This survey, the 13th edition conducted in collaboration with Deloitte since the summer of 2020, included responses from over 80 CEOs from Fortune 500 and select companies, gathered in June before recent events such as the attack on former President Donald Trump and Biden’s announcement.

Overall, CEOs expressed increasing pessimism about their industries’ futures. However, most remain somewhat confident in their companies’ ability to navigate external disruptions. Notably, almost one in five CEOs now regularly uses generative AI tools in their work, underscoring the evolving landscape of executive leadership.