KPMG report warns AI scale-up lags lofty ambitions

KPMG's Global Tech Report 2026 points to a shift in corporate technology plans as executives push AI beyond pilot projects and into core workflows, even as many organisations report uneven returns and talent gaps.

The survey-based report shows a wide gap between ambition and current deployment. It finds that 68% of organisations want to reach the highest level of AI maturity by the end of 2026. Only 24% say they are at that level today.

Agentic AI features heavily in current investment plans. KPMG said 88% of respondents are investing in building agentic AI into their systems. The report describes agentic AI as autonomous digital agents used in operations and decision-making.

Most respondents said their programmes have already produced results. KPMG reported that 74% of organisations said their AI use cases are delivering business value. The report also indicates a scaling challenge. It said only 24% achieve ROI across multiple use cases.

"The future belongs to leaders who turn intelligence into advantage. Our research shows organizations are pushing past the early phase of 'AI roulette', placing scattered bets on multiple technologies, and are now increasingly focused on delivering value. When ambition meets disciplined execution, value compounds. Our 2026 Global Tech Report provides a synopsis of the critical things that high performers are doing better than most; a checklist for tech leaders looking to improve their organizational performance, emulate the high performers, and deliver higher ROI," said Guy Holland, Global Leader, CIO Centre of Excellence, KPMG International.

Maturity targets

Alongside AI, the report tracks a wider measure of technology maturity. KPMG said 50% of global tech leaders surveyed expect to reach the highest level of technology maturity by the end of 2026. It said 11% report that level today.

KPMG links the expected rise to a move away from isolated experiments and towards integration of AI and other advanced technologies into core systems. It said this approach brings additional complexity as organisations scale.

Returns vary by organisational profile, according to the report. KPMG said "high performers" reported an average ROI of 4.5x. It said the industry average stands at 2x.

The report also points to different ROI outcomes in other groups. It said smaller firms reported 3.6x. It said organisations with fewer cost pressures reported 2.6x. It said transformation-focused organisations reported 3.2x.

KPMG said the pattern does not follow a single investment level that works for all. It described "ROI zones" that range from early gains to broader returns as maturity increases.

Scaling challenge

The report frames AI as a strategic priority rather than a short-term trend. It also suggests that moving from experimentation to scaled deployment has become a key dividing line between organisations that report single-use-case returns and those that claim repeatable outcomes.

KPMG said the low proportion of organisations reporting ROI across multiple use cases shows the need to reassess performance measurement. It said organisations need to evolve KPIs beyond traditional financial and productivity metrics. It also said enterprise-wide alignment remains important when programmes move into products and services.

Talent pressure

The survey findings also highlight workforce constraints. KPMG said 53% of organisations still lack the talent needed to deliver their digital transformation plans.

The report said companies expect a significant share of the technology workforce to remain permanent human staff despite increased use of AI. It said organisations expect 42% of their tech workforce to remain permanent by 2027. It said this represents a five-point drop from 2025. It said high-performing companies plan for 50% permanent staff by 2027.

Management skills for AI systems look set to become more prominent. KPMG said 92% of organisations anticipate that managing AI agents will become a critical skill within five years.

Partners and risk

Many respondents see partnerships as a route to specialist expertise and faster learning. KPMG said 90% of respondents plan to grow partnerships and tech ecosystems over the next year. It said nearly one-third of tech executives plan to increase investment in centres of excellence. The report describes these as structures for cross-functional teams and controlled experimentation.

The report also points to growing appetite for emerging technologies beyond current AI deployments. KPMG said 78% of organisations agree they must take more risks on emerging technologies to stay relevant. It highlights quantum computing and Artificial Superintelligence as longer-term developments that executives are tracking.

KPMG based the report on a survey of 2,500 executives across 27 countries and territories, spanning eight industries. The company also drew on interviews with eight senior corporate leaders and professionals.

"The future belongs to leaders who turn intelligence into advantage."