A new global study by KPMG reveals a massive shift in corporate strategy as organizations move from “AI roulette” to disciplined execution. The 2026 Global Tech Report, titled “Leading in the Intelligence Age,” indicates that while the ambition to scale artificial intelligence is nearly universal, a significant “maturity gap” persists between experimental pilots and enterprise-wide returns.
While 68% of organizations aim to reach the pinnacle of AI maturity by the end of 2026, currently only 24% have achieved that status. The data suggests that high performers, those who have successfully integrated AI into core workflows, are reaping an average ROI of 4.5x, vastly outperforming the industry average of 2x.
The report highlights a surge in Agentic AI, with 88% of companies investing in autonomous digital agents to transform decision-making and operations. Although 74% of leaders claim their AI use cases are delivering business value, the struggle to scale remains evident: only 24% are achieving consistent ROI across multiple use cases simultaneously.
Despite the aggressive push for automation, human expertise remains the primary bottleneck for organizational growth. This talent deficit is underscored by the fact that 53% of organizations admit they still lack the internal personnel necessary to execute their digital transformation plans.
To address this, high-performing firms plan to retain 50% of their permanent human workforce through 2027, signaling that human-in-the-loop strategies are essential for scaling artificial intelligence effectively. Furthermore, a staggering 92% of executives believe that managing AI agents will emerge as a critical workplace skill within the next five years.
To bridge the expertise gap, 90% of organizations plan to expand their tech partnerships and ecosystems over the coming year. This collaborative approach is paired with a more aggressive appetite for innovation; 78% of leaders agree that taking greater risks on emerging technologies such as quantum computing and Artificial Superintelligence (ASI)—is now a prerequisite for staying relevant.
According to Guy Holland, KPMG’s Global Leader for the CIO Center of Excellence, the primary differentiator for success has shifted from mere technology access to the ability to build the governance and operating models required for effective scaling. High-performing organizations distinguish themselves by prioritizing workforce readiness through the upskilling of teams for human-AI collaboration.
These leaders also focus on adaptive leadership by aligning executive strategies with rapid technological shifts and ensuring disciplined execution by moving beyond scattered investments toward value-based deployment.