Business investors are positive about AI’s impact on the economy

• PwC study finds more than half of investors predict global economic growth
• They want businesses to invest more in upskilling - especially around AI
• Environmental factors still influence decisions

The business world has high expectations for generative AI tools in the year ahead, with hopes specifically that efficiency and business growth will see positive impacts, new research has claimed.

PwC’s recent survey of investors and analysts revealed around three-quarters (74%) believe the tech will boost productivity, outpacing the global average of 66%, which means that three in five now anticipate increased profitability.

More broadly, investors appear to be optimistic about the broader economic outlook, with more than half (53%) anticipating global economic growth over the next 12 months.

AI is driving economic growth after all

The figures mirror another recent PwC study of company CEOs, 61% of whom expect to see global economic growth this year.

Artificial intelligence’s impacts aren’t just limited to financial benefits, though; scaling the business (61%), measuring ROI (42%), shaping stakeholder perception (43%) and enhancing workforce impact (43%) were also noted as the tech’s biggest opportunities.

“GenAI has been a game changer for businesses worldwide, but investors now expect it to deliver real, measurable value," noted PwC UK Asset & Wealth Management Leader Albertha Charles.

Looking ahead, investors are more keen for companies to upskill their workforce (77%) than deploy artificial intelligence at scale (72%), highlighting the crucial role human workers are to play in the AI revolution.

Charles added: “As AI adoption accelerates, investors will be watching closely to see how leaders balance technology with upskilling their workforce to unlock meaningful gains in profit and productivity.”

Despite the optimism, investors are still keeping an eye on macroeconomic volatility (39%), geopolitical conflict (35%) and cyber risks (34%). Three-quarters (74%) also noted that they’d be looking to increase investment in companies who are working with suppliers and communities to build sustainable supply chains, highlighting the environmental weighting on decision-making.

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