A major new global survey from Thoughtworks finds that 77 percent of organizations worldwide are now prioritizing AI as a growth driver — not merely a tool for efficiency or cost savings — with large enterprises showing an even stronger shift (92 percent) toward innovation and revenue opportunities from AI deployments. According to the report, roughly 27 percent of surveyed executives expect up to 10 percent more revenue within the next year due to AI, while nearly half anticipate 15 percent or more growth over the coming decade; agentic AI is emerging as a strategic priority in shaping this transition from back-office support to enterprise-wide growth initiatives. The data highlights a clear realignment of corporate technology strategy toward top-line expansion, even as consumers remain mixed on how AI will impact their lives. These developments suggest that AI’s role in business is evolving beyond efficiency narratives into a competitive growth engine.
Sources:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/growth-not-efficiency-is-the-new-ai-goal
https://www.thoughtworks.com/about-us/news/2026/global-survey-ai-beyond-the-bottom-line
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/77-of-global-enterprises-shift-ai-strategies-from-efficiency-to-growth-302654869.html
Key Takeaways
- Shift to Growth-First AI: Most enterprises now view AI as essential for driving revenue and innovation rather than just cutting costs or boosting internal productivity.
- Emerging Strategic Roles: Over half of large firms have created Chief AI Officer roles with direct budget and ROI responsibility, signaling institutional commitment to strategic growth via AI.
- Uneven Consumer Sentiment: While corporate leaders are optimistic about AI’s growth potential, consumer expectations vary, with a notable share skeptical about AI’s personal impact.
In-Depth
The latest research into corporate AI strategy shows a decisive shift in how businesses think about artificial intelligence. For years, much of the conversation around AI focused on productivity and cost savings — automating repetitive tasks, eliminating inefficiencies, and trimming operational waste. That narrative made sense early on, as AI tools were first deployed to optimize internal functions. But according to Thoughtworks’ new global survey of 3,500 IT and executive leaders, that mindset is rapidly becoming outdated. Now, AI is being embraced as a growth engine — a way to unlock revenue, build innovative new offerings, and extend market reach. This is particularly true among larger enterprises, where nearly all surveyed firms have pivoted their AI strategy toward growth and innovation, and more than half have installed dedicated leadership in the form of Chief AI Officers, who are tasked with aligning AI investment to measurable business outcomes rather than simply trimming budgets.
Expectations are bold: more than a quarter of executives predict up to 10 percent revenue lift in the next year alone, and a much larger share foresee double-digit growth over the next decade. This strategic repositioning reflects a broader trend of businesses thinking bigger about technology — not just how to make existing processes cheaper, but how to create new value streams entirely. The role of agentic AI — systems that automate complex tasks and decision loops — is increasingly part of that growth-oriented framework, pushing companies to reimagine workflows and expand what’s possible with AI. However, public sentiment remains cautious, with a significant minority of consumers unconvinced about AI’s direct impact on their personal lives. Overall, the data suggest that corporate ambition for AI is climbing faster than public expectations, heralding a new phase in the enterprise technology landscape where growth ambitions drive AI adoption and shape competitive strategies in 2026 and beyond.