Corporate investment in artificial intelligence is accelerating sharply, with companies planning to double their AI spending in 2026 despite ongoing economic uncertainty.
According to a new global study by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), AI investment is expected to account for about 1.7% of corporate revenues next year, more than twice the growth rate projected for 2025.
The report shows a decisive shift in leadership, with CEOs now firmly in charge of AI strategy. Nearly three-quarters of chief executives say they are the primary decision-makers on AI, while half believe their jobs depend on successfully executing an AI agenda.
Trailblazing CEOs are also personally investing time in the technology, spending more than eight hours a week on AI upskilling and allocating twice as much funding to workforce capability-building than their peers.
“Despite economic uncertainty, this anticipated surge in spending reflects how much of a priority AI has become in the business world,” said BCG CEO Christoph Schweizer.
AI is no longer confined to IT or innovation teams; it’s reshaping strategy and operations from the top down.
The findings come from BCG AI Radar: As AI Investments Surge, CEOs Take the Lead, based on a survey of 2,360 executives across 16 markets and nine industries, including 640 CEOs.
Africa emerges as a global AI leader
Africa stands out as one of the most aggressive AI investment regions globally. About 59% of African companies plan to spend more than $50 million on AI in 2026, with funding directed toward high-impact areas such as agentic AI and large-scale workforce transformation.
African organisations also lead in workforce readiness, with 55% of employees already upskilled in AI—the highest rate worldwide.
The region’s approach is increasingly execution-focused, using AI to leapfrog traditional infrastructure gaps. Nearly half of total AI budgets in Africa are allocated to retraining and capability building, underscoring a strategy that pairs capital investment with talent development.
Three CEO archetypes take shape
BCG identifies three leadership archetypes shaping the AI landscape. Followers make cautious early investments, Pragmatists invest selectively when value is clear, while Trailblazers push aggressive, organisation-wide transformation. Africa leads globally in Trailblazer CEOs, with 42% falling into this category, compared with just 14% in the European Union.
African CEOs also show the strongest personal commitment to AI, spending an average of 8.3 hours per week building their own expertise. More than 80% say they are the main AI decision-makers in their organisations, and 71% believe their job security hinges on AI success by 2026.
Agentic AI drives confidence and ROI expectations
Globally, companies are increasingly funding AI from beyond traditional tech budgets, with more than 30% of corporate AI investment now directed toward agentic AI. Ninety-four percent of CEOs say they will continue investing in AI even if returns are not immediate.
Confidence is rising fastest in emerging markets. While optimism is lower in Western economies, 84% of African CEOs say they are more confident in AI’s ROI potential this year than last. Around 90% of CEOs worldwide believe AI agents will unlock measurable returns by 2026.
“CEOs have a defining role in shaping how AI delivers value,” said Sylvain Duranton, Global Leader of BCG X.
The true competitive advantage will belong to those who redesign functions end-to-end and create new AI-powered products and services.
AI has moved from experimentation to the core of corporate strategy, with CEOs now acting not just as sponsors, but as architects of the AI-driven future.
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