Most US CEOs Expect AI to Drive Hiring, But Firms Aren’t Seeing Short‑Term Returns — KPMG (毕马威) Survey

What the numbers say

It has been reported that KPMG (毕马威)’s latest survey of 100 US executives at companies with more than $500 million in annual revenue finds only 9% plan AI‑related layoffs this year, while 55% expect to increase hiring by 2026 and 36% plan to maintain headcounts. Short headline: demand for AI skills appears to far outstrip immediate job cuts. But what does that mean for the average worker or investor?

ROI lag and integration headaches

KPMG CEO Tim Walsh warned that most firms have yet to see material return on their AI investments. The problem, he said, is not the technology itself but the slow and costly work of integrating AI into legacy systems and business processes. Will businesses be patient? Many expect long lead times: past surveys showed higher near‑term layoff expectations, including a summer survey in which 35% of global CEOs flagged possible cuts over two to five years.

Security fears and geopolitical backdrop

Security worries cast a long shadow. Around nine in ten CEOs worry about AI‑driven malware and phishing, and nearly 60% are concerned quantum computing could undermine encryption. Reportedly, these operational and security anxieties are playing out against broader geopolitical tensions — export controls, talent competition and sanctions between the US and China — that complicate supply chains and access to advanced chips and models. The upshot: companies need both technical skill and strategic risk management to turn AI experiments into durable value.