- 87% of CEOs are banking on the success of AI for their work, but they face pressure from all sides
- About three-quarters of them face pressure from the board to achieve a significant return on investment
- Impatient Workers Use Unapproved and Risky AI Tools
A new study from Dataiku reveals just how much business leaders are banking on AI: four in five fear their jobs could be at risk by the end of 2026 if their AI plans fail.
At the same time, more than half (56%) of 900 global CEOs surveyed admit that their competitors have stronger AI strategies, implying a growing sense of insecurity and uncertainty about what constitutes a solid AI plan.
“CEOs are betting on AI, but still questioning its results and struggling to control the systems they claim to own,” explained CEO Florian Douetteau.
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Is a CEO’s success determined by AI strategy?
While about three in four U.S. CEOs say the board pressures them to deliver measurable results (72%) and lists AI as one of their highest priorities (78%), nearly nine in 10 (87%) are now banking on AI’s success.
However, while the data suggests that investment in AI continues to grow, confidence is not as high. Half of critical business decisions still require human approval, and up to four-fifths continue to question AI outcomes. AI agent trust is also heading in the wrong direction, falling to 31% in 2026 from 41% in 2025.
Regulatory uncertainty also plays a larger role this year (51% vs. 37%), and many fear poor explainability could trigger trust issues among customers.
Dataiku’s report also serves to illustrate where some of the challenges lie ahead, and it’s clear that infinite choice may not be as good as it seems. Two in three (65%) worry about overinvesting in the wrong AI platforms rather than underinvesting.
Going forward, CEOs are expected to face more pressure as the risks of shadow AI increase. Nearly all (96%) believe employees are using unapproved GenAI tools, potentially putting sensitive company information at risk. The answer is a fine balance between investing in the right tools to generate a strong ROI and investing in the right tools to meet workers where they are and eradicate ghost AI.
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