How Agentic AI Is Redefining CEO Priorities in 2025

Report Overview

The IBM Institute for Business Value released the 2025 CEO Study, a deep‑dive survey conducted from February to April 2025 with 2,000 CEOs representing 24 industries and 33 countries. The research aims to identify the pathways that enable companies to grow in a turbulent environment marked by geopolitical tension, trade friction, stalled M&A activity, and looming recession.

Key Findings: AI as the Primary Lever

The study highlights AI as the most powerful growth lever. CEOs who actively integrate AI and enterprise data are positioned to outpace competitors, while those who ignore AI risk falling behind.

Performance of Top CEOs

Strategic planning: 63% vs. 42% (49% lead)

Strategy execution: 74% vs. 57% (29% lead)

Talent development & retention: 63% vs. 43% (47% lead)

Enterprise data capability: 56% vs. 40% (42% lead)

Innovation: 62% vs. 52% (20% lead)

Partner/ecosystem building: 65% vs. 49% (33% lead)

Brand reputation: 59% vs. 42% (40% lead)

CEO Priorities Shift

Over the past three years, CEOs have moved forecast accuracy to the top priority for 2025, followed by productivity/profitability, product‑service innovation, and cybersecurity/data privacy. The biggest challenges have shifted from sustainability and security to supply‑chain performance, talent acquisition & retention, and business‑model innovation.

Five Mindshifts to Ignite Growth

Make courage your core – Embrace difficult but correct decisions during rapid change.

Embrace AI‑fueled creative destruction – Actively retire outdated models to unlock new growth.

Cultivate a vibrant data environment – Enable data flow to fuel AI initiatives.

Ignore the FOMO, lean into ROI – Focus investments on clear returns rather than hype.

Borrow the talent you can’t buy – Leverage partner ecosystems to access scarce skills.

Adoption of Agentic AI

61% of surveyed CEOs report that their organizations are already adopting agentic AI and are preparing for large‑scale deployment, viewing it as a critical driver for moving from productivity gains to performance leaps.

Conclusion

A quoted CEO notes, “Pessimists may sound smart, but optimists make money.” In a mis‑aligned market, firms with information advantage should boldly increase risk exposure, using agentic AI and data to turn uncertainty into a competitive edge.