Robinsons indicates that nearly 40% of CEOs plan to expand into new industries, the value of AI is becoming increasingly apparent, and cyber threats have become a major concern

PwC today (20th) announced the "29th Global CEO Survey Asia-Pacific Report," which shows that despite a more complex risk environment, 37% of Asia-Pacific CEOs plan to break traditional industry boundaries in the next three years to seek new growth opportunities, targeting industries including technology, health services, asset and wealth management, transportation and logistics, retail, and industrial manufacturing. More than half of the CEOs also stated that over the past five years, more than 10% of their revenue has come from new businesses. The report is based on responses from 4,454 CEOs globally, of which 1,766 are from the Asia-Pacific region. 39% Say AI Brings Additional Revenue The report indicates that Asia-Pacific CEOs are seeing value from artificial intelligence. 39% of CEOs reported that AI has brought additional revenue in the past 12 months, higher than the global average of 30%. At the same time, 26% of CEOs have seen tangible cost reductions, and 15% have achieved both revenue growth and cost reductions simultaneously. However, there is an uneven distribution of corporate AI infrastructure. Only 26% of organizations reported that they have solid AI foundations in at least 6 of the 7 core areas: culture, technology environment, strategy/AI roadmap, responsible AI, talent, investment, and data. The report also found that companies with stronger AI foundations are twice as likely to enhance revenue and reduce costs through AI compared to other companies. Confidence in Future Revenue Growth Remains Weak On the other hand, although 59% of Asia-Pacific CEOs expect the global economic situation to improve in the next 12 months, their confidence in short-term revenue growth has decreased. Only 21% of CEOs expressed "very confident" or "extremely confident" about their revenue prospects for the coming year, down from 34% the previous year and lower than the global average (30%). The main reason for the weakened confidence is the general increase in risk exposure, particularly the significant rise in cyber threats. Notably, in this global survey, the Asia-Pacific region is the only one that believes cyber risks are significantly higher than all other risks, including economic pressures. In contrast, the impact of tariffs has not been as severe as expected, with only 24% of CEOs believing they are highly exposed to tariff risks, while 51% anticipate that tariffs will have minimal or no impact on their company's net profit margins in the coming year. This Year Marks a Key Watershed for AI Development Mohamed Kande, Global Chairman of PwC, stated that 2026 is becoming a key watershed for AI development, with a few leading companies successfully translating AI into tangible and measurable financial benefits, while many others remain in the pilot exploration stage. This gap is gradually becoming evident in corporate confidence and market competitiveness, and the gap will quickly widen. Hemione Hudson, Chairman and CEO of PwC China, also stated that AI is no longer just a technological tool; it has become the necessary infrastructure for companies to build future competitiveness. The firm has assisted numerous Chinese companies in advancing AI transformation and has witnessed the transition from the exploration stage to value realization The report shows that 17% of mainland CEOs have achieved both cost reduction and revenue growth through the application of AI, a figure that exceeds the global average. This not only provides a replicable development path for local enterprises but also demonstrates China's capabilities in the field of AI to the world