More CEOs envision hiring than firing due to AI, survey finds

Fewer than 1 in 10 CEOs of large U.S. companies plan to cut jobs due to AI in 2026, according to a new survey from consultancy KPMG.

Why it matters: The disruptive nature of AI is fostering significant debate over how the economy will evolve.

The big picture: 9% of CEOs plan to reduce their workforce because of AI investments this year, according to the 2026 KPMG U.S. CEO Outlook Pulse Survey.

• 55% expect to increase hiring in 2026 as a direct result of AI, while 36% expect no change.

Zoom in: U.S. CEOs are optimistic about the potential of AI to improve their businesses over the next five to 10 years, but in the short run they've been underwhelmed by the impact, KPMG CEO Tim Walsh tells Axios.

• "I would say the majority of companies right now are not actually realizing nor can they see the return on investment of the AI they're deploying," he says.

Part of the challenge is the actual integration of AI into existing processes and systems is proving to be sluggish, he adds.

• "It takes time to revise process" and make "fundamental changes in how companies have done things for many, many years to be able to benefit from the technologies that exist today," Walsh says.

Flashback: In KPMG's larger annual CEO Outlook survey conducted last summer, 35% of global chief executives said they were planning for workforce reductions in some areas over the next two to five years due to AI.

Threat level: While the group in the U.S. pulse survey sees growth opportunities via AI, they also see threats in the form of cyberattacks.

• About 9 in 10 CEOs are concerned about malware and phishing attacks powered by AI.
• Nearly 6 in 10 are worried about quantum computing attacks on encrypted data.

The fine print: The pulse survey was conducted Jan. 26 through Feb. 17. One hundred U.S. CEOs of companies with revenue over $500 million were surveyed.

The bottom line: The AI disruption story is still being written.