New Delhi, Jan 16 (UNI) As corporate spending on Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to rise, a new report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) said companies are planning to double their AI investments in 2026, with CEOs increasingly taking charge of AI decision-making and upskilling.
According to the report titled ‘BCG AI Radar 2026: As AI Investments Surge, CEOs Take the Lead’, companies plan to spend about 1.7 per cent of revenues on AI in 2026, more than twice the increase planned for 2025.
The report said 88 per cent of leaders in India are optimistic about AI delivering positive returns on investment (ROI), higher than the global average of 82 per cent. It added that 97 per cent of organisations in India will continue investing in AI even if returns do not materialise in the next 12 months, compared to a global average of 94 per cent.
“India’s AI story is one of resilience and rising ambition — 88 per cent of Indian leaders are optimistic about AI’s ability to deliver positive business returns. About 97 per cent of Indian organisations say they will continue investing in AI even if returns do not materialise in the next 12 months,” said Nipun Kalra, India Leader – BCG X, BCG, adding that AI decision-making in India remains “more tech-led than business-led.”
The report also highlighted a skilling gap, stating that only 36 per cent of the Indian workforce is currently skilled in AI, compared to 44 per cent globally.
BCG CEO Christoph Schweizer said the surge in spending shows AI is now central to business strategy. “AI is no longer confined to IT or innovation teams; it’s reshaping strategy and operations from the top down with CEOs taking a leading role,” he said.
The report said the survey covered 2,360 executives across 16 markets and nine industries, including 640 CEOs, and noted that nearly three-quarters of chief executives (72 per cent) are now the main decision makers on AI, twice the share compared to last year.
It said companies are increasingly committing funding to “agentic AI,” with CEOs allocating more than 30 per cent of AI investments to AI agents, while about 90 per cent of chief executives believe AI agents will deliver measurable ROI in 2026.
BCG X Global Leader Sylvain Duranton said, “CEOs have a defining role in shaping how AI delivers value. The true competitive advantage lies with those CEOs who will reshape functions end-to-end and invent new products and services that drive growth.”
