NTT Study: Global CEOs Plans For Future AI Profitability
Enterprise AI adoption has reached an inflection point as companies transition from experimental projects to large-scale implementation.
This move has become more urgent amid increasing pressure on technology leaders to demonstrate returns on AI investments, while addressing mounting concerns about data privacy, environmental impact and regulatory compliance.
A new survey commissioned by NTT and conducted by WSJ Intelligence, reveals the scale of this transition.
It’s perhaps no surprise the research found that business leaders are preparing for substantial increases in AI spending, despite economic uncertainties and implementation challenges - but the question is, how do leaders keep up with AI constantly evolving?
Momentum is building on the widespread deployment of Gen AI tools - but as soon as businesses adapt to new AI like this, it evolves again.
Then, leaders are having to look into a crystal ball as well as stay up to pace with AI in the present.
NTT’s whitepaper titled “Future-Ready Innovation: Strategies for 2025 and Beyond” surveyed 351 chief executives from organisations with revenues exceeding US$1bn in the US and US$500m elsewhere.
It finds that 77% of respondents plan to increase AI spending in 2025, while also revealing that 89% of global CEOs consider AI technology central to maintaining profitability and market position.
Regional differences emerge in AI implementation strategy
NTT found that US executives demonstrate a distinct approach to AI deployment, prioritising revenue growth over operational efficiency, in contrast to their global counterparts.
- 89% of surveyed CEOs rank AI as their most vital technology for future competitiveness
- 77% planning to increase AI budgets in 2025
- 87% of CEOs identify an urgent need for AI governance frameworks, with data privacy and cybersecurity emerging as primary concerns
- 85% of respondents express concerns about AI's energy consumption
- 90% of CEOs report familiarity with photonic computing networks, which promise to reduce power consumption by 100 times while increasing transmission capacity by 125 times
Additionally, NTT says 8% of global respondents expect AI to enhance IT operations, while 87% anticipate improvements in customer experience.
LLMs are expected to become more personalised according to 84% of respondents and this development increases the requirement for accountability measures and robust governance frameworks.
Simultaneously, investment projections for 2025 indicate substantial growth, with 70% of respondents anticipating net increases in their technology investments.
Among these leaders, 48% forecast an increase of 1-10% in Gen AI investments, while 29% expect growth exceeding 10%.
NTT and WSJ Intelligence findings show AI investment surge
Gen AI leads enterprise technology priorities, with 44% of respondents naming it among their top three technologies.
Therefore, AI-augmented software development, which uses AI to assist programmers and governance-focused AI implementations, each received 22% of responses.
Meanwhile, the Internet of Things (IoT), ranked second at 25%, while industry cloud computing followed at 23%.
“These results make it clear that AI is poised to receive increased investment commensurate with its outstanding potential,” says Vito Mabrucco, Global Chief Marketing Officer at NTT.
However, further conversations and global cooperation among business leaders, regulators, developers and the public are needed to realise an AI-empowered future that ethically and sustainably benefits all.”
Enterprise leaders focus on AI governance and infrastructure
Cybersecurity has emerged as the primary driver of new technology adoption in the research, with data privacy, regulatory compliance and environmental impact as primary concerns for technology leaders.
Notably, 87% of respondents indicate an immediate requirement for AI governance and risk management frameworks.
Furthermore, among CEOs who consider AI crucial to their operations, 70% prioritise data privacy, while 38% emphasise cybersecurity risks.
This focus on data protection reflects growing concerns about the security of information used to train AI models.
Meanwhile, regulatory compliance concerns are more pronounced in the US, where 46% of CEOs identify it as a key challenge, compared to 33% globally.
This regional variation suggests differing regulatory environments influence technology adoption strategies.
Muneki Nemoto, Chief of AI Governance at NTT, also points out the uncharted waters of AI adapting even more for such risks: “The long-term consequences and impacts of AI’s actions are still uncertain, raising both expectations and anxiety.”
Sustainable technology development gains momentum
NTT finds that environmental considerations remain significant, with 85% of respondents expressing concern about AI's energy requirements and more than 80% expecting regulations to address AI's energy consumption.
Additionally, half of the surveyed executives believe businesses should initiate sustainable technology development.
Yet, the emphasis on sustainability extends beyond environmental impact - as survey respondents indicate sustainable technology as the category leading double-digit investment growth, which aligns with broader industry movements toward circular economy principles and responsible technology deployment.
NTT reports strong interest in photonic computing development
The research also indicates broad interest in photonic computing infrastructure, which uses light rather than electricity to process and transmit data.
This technology represents a significant advancement in addressing both performance and environmental concerns in computing infrastructure, with 90% of surveyed CEOs reporting familiarity with photonic networks.
NTT's IOWN initiative also aims to develop networks that consume one-hundredth of the power of conventional systems while increasing transmission capacity by 125 times and reducing latency by 200 times.
These improvements address growing data processing demands while reducing environmental impact.
However, Wendy Collins, Chief AI Officer at NTT Data North America advises: “The hype around automation and cost savings has led to unrealistic expectations. The way forward is to focus on higher-order value, like customer engagement and competitive advantage.
“We often tell our clients to look at AI use cases that can drive net new revenue or improve customer loyalty. That’s where you see the real impact.”
Abhijit Dubey, President and CEO at NTT Data adds: “The impact of these technologies extends beyond automation - they’re reshaping business models and workflows at every level.
“Leaders must guide their organisations through this transformation with clear vision, urgency and responsibility.”
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