A new survey by consulting firm KPMG reveals that fears of artificial intelligence (AI) replacing jobs in the short term may be overstated. The findings show that the vast majority of leaders at major U.S. companies are moving towards hiring rather than layoffs. According to the survey, which focuses on CEO trends in the U.S. for 2026 and was published by Axios, 55% of CEOs expect to increase hiring this year as a direct result of adopting AI technologies. Meanwhile, 36% of them stated they do not anticipate any change in their workforce size. On the other hand, only 9% indicated plans to reduce their workforce. Investment and Technical Integration Despite significant optimism about AI's long-term capabilities (over the next 5 to 10 years), short-term results fell short of expectations. In this context, Tim Walsh, CEO of KPMG, stated: 'Currently, the majority of companies cannot see a direct return on their AI investments.' The biggest challenge lies in the slow integration of these advanced technologies into existing corporate systems and processes, which requires a fundamental change in conventional work methods. Cybersecurity Threats In addition to operational challenges, the survey also highlighted the growing concern over security threats accompanying the AI revolution. Nearly 90% of CEOs expressed deep concern about phishing attacks and AI-powered malware. Furthermore, about 60% voiced their apprehension about future threats that quantum computing could pose to encrypted data security. Survey Methodology The survey was conducted from January 26 to February 17, 2026, and included 100 CEOs of major U.S. companies with annual revenues exceeding $500 million, reflecting the trends of an influential group leading the business and economic landscape.
