Global economic growth is on course to improve over the next 12 months, according to nearly 60 percent of CEOs surveyed under the
PricewaterhouseCoopers' (PwC) 28th Annual Global CEO Survey. 

The survey was launched at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, which gathered responses from 4,701 CEOs across 109 countries.

It revealed that 42 percent plan to increase headcount by 5 percent or more this year, with only 17 percent expecting reductions.

Optimism about emerging technologies like generative AI (GenAI) is driving this outlook as more than half of the CEOs reported employee efficiency gains from AI adoption, and 32 percent saw revenue growth in 2024. 

However, trust remains an issue, with only a third of CEOs expressing high confidence in embedding AI into key processes, according to a press release. 

Despite challenges, 49 percent anticipate profitability gains from AI within the next year.

The survey also highlighted a growing urgency for business reinvention. 

Four in 10 CEOs believe their companies will not be viable in a decade without significant change.

While 63 percent have taken steps to transform value creation, slow resource reallocation hampers agility, with two-thirds moving less than 20 percent of financial and human resources annually.

Climate investments are yielding results, with 33 percent of CEOs reporting increased revenues from such efforts in the last five years. 

However, regulatory complexity remains a barrier for further investment.