BCG AI Radar 2026: As AI Investments Surge, CEOs Take the Lead
Nearly three quarters of CEOs now own AI decisions and companies plan to double AI spending to about 1.7% of revenues in 2026. The 15% of Trailblazer CEOs are pulling ahead by upskilling fast and backing agents, while confidence fades further from the corner office.
Summary
BCG's third AI Radar surveyed nearly 2,400 executives, including 640 CEOs, in 16 markets. Nearly three quarters of CEOs are their company's main AI decision maker, and spending is set to rise from 0.8% to about 1.7% of revenues. Four in five CEOs are more optimistic on ROI and over 90% would keep investing without near-term payback, yet confidence falls from 62% for CEOs to 48% for non-tech executives outside the C-suite. CEOs split into Followers (15%), Pragmatists (70%) and Trailblazers (15%), who upskill nearly three quarters of staff and put over half their AI spend into agents.
Editor's opinion
Real proprietary survey data and a useful CEO-archetype framework, but the specific figures are an annual snapshot that will date quickly.
Key concepts
CEO AI archetypes · Trailblazers · Change distance · Agentic AI · AI ROI