Survey: CEOs Start 2026 on Edge, Citing Uncertainty as Top Threat

NEW YORK, Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As 2026 begins, what will keep CEOs up at night? All signs point to a cloud of uncertainty.

According to a new survey, CEOs in the United States say uncertainty is their biggest economic worry for 2026. Their concern exceeds that of CEOs worldwide: 43% of US CEOs rank uncertainty as a top threat versus 29% of CEOs globally.

The Conference Board survey also found CEOs worldwide are struggling to pin down AI's business value: 33% of CEOs globally say their top AI priority is measuring the ROI. The share of US CEOs who say the same is even higher, at 46%.

As AI transforms how work gets done, CEOs are prioritizing skill and leadership development, ranking them among their top three workforce priorities for 2026. Amid this seismic change, they are also placing greater emphasis on employee mental health, elevating it above traditional workplace priorities like working conditions and gender equality.

"Heading into 2026, CEOs are navigating converging pressures that are weighing on profits and growth. At the same time, these forces are spurring innovation, with most CEOs worldwide focused on revamping their business models," said Dana M. Peterson, Chief Economist, The Conference Board.

The C-Suite Outlook 2026 survey features over 1,700 executives, including over 750 CEOs. The survey participants—CEOs, C-Suite leaders, and board directors—were primarily from North America, Europe, and Asia.

Additional highlights include:

ECONOMY

Among CEOs worldwide, the biggest economic worry is a recession

• The leading concern: Among CEOs globally, 36% say a downturn/recession is the top economic threat for 2026.

But in the United States, CEOs have a bigger headache: their top worry is uncertainty

• Uncertainty is US CEOs' top economic concern for 2026: Among CEOs in the US, 43% rank uncertainty as a top threat, followed by 35% citing the risk of a downturn/recession.

• Worldwide, uncertainty is a lesser concern but still top of mind: Among CEOs globally, 29% rank uncertainty as a top economic threat—the second biggest concern behind recession.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Show me the money: CEOs say their top AI priority is trying to measure ROI

• US CEOs are most adamant: 46% of US CEOs—the highest share globally—say their top AI priority for 2026 is

improving data quality and quantity to measure the ROI.

• A priority worldwide: The ROI issue ranks #1 among CEOs globally, but the share is lower, at 33%.

Trouble ahead? Compared to global peers, US CEOs most pessimistic about AI's business disruption

• US CEOs are most concerned: 38% of US CEOs—the highest share worldwide—say that AI will have a negative impact on their companies in 2026; this is regarding societal, demographic, and technological shifts.

• The pessimism is worldwide: 30% of CEOs globally harbor doubts. They ranked AI's impact in 2026 as more damaging to their firms than other issues, including climate events (17%) and political polarization (26%).

SUSTAINABILITY

ESG loses luster in the US: Among CEOs globally, US CEOs twice as likely to de-prioritize sustainability

• US CEOs dial back: 38% of US CEOs—the highest share across regions—say sustainability investments in 2026 are not a priority. In contrast, just 20% of CEOs globally say the same.

• Circular economy initiatives are the top priority for US CEOs: Their top sustainability focus is circular economy initiatives (17%), followed by sustainable use of key inputs and transitioning to renewable energy sources.

WORKFORCE

Mental health takes center stage: CEOs elevate it above gender equality and work conditions

• A worldwide priority: CEOs across the US, Europe, and Japan rank mental health as one of the top three social issues they'll prioritize in 2026.

• Mental health outranks longstanding workplace issues, globally: Mental health (24%) outweighs long-standing issues including working conditions (19%) and gender equality (17%).

Rising pay expectations and the AI race accelerate the talent war

• High cost of US talent: Even as the labor market slows, US workers retain bargaining power: 27% of US CEOs name "expectations of higher compensation" as a key hiring challenge, vs. 19% in Asia and 15% in Europe. 

• CEOs around the world are scrambling to find AI expertise: 31% of CEOs globally say their top AI focus is enhancing AI expertise. The highest share worldwide is seen among US CEOs, at 37%.

GEOPOLITICS

Cyberattacks leads the list of geopolitical threats, with war and uncertainty also top of mind

• Top concern among CEOs globally and in the US: 47% of CEOs globally rank cyberattacks as the #1 geopolitical threat for 2026. For US CEOs, the share is even higher, at 54%.

• Uncertainty and War follow closely: CEOs globally are also concerned about uncertainty and armed conflicts. While the US did not emphasize armed conflicts as a top concern, CEOs in Europe ranked war in Europe third, Japan ranked war in Asia-Pacific first, and Other Asia ranked war in the Middle East third.

CEO PLANS FOR 2026: PRIORITIES

Existential and internal challenges notwithstanding, CEOs globally and in the US still aim to expand and increase profitability, through augmenting business models, investments in AI, and further expansion in the US. Plans include:

• Prioritize new business models: CEOs globally rank business model changes as the #1 priority for boosting business profitability in 2026. 60% of US CEOs cited business model changes, compared to 52% globally.

• Invest in AI: The top investment priority is AI/technology, which ranks #1 for CEOs globally at 42%. European CEOs are most adamant, at 49%. It's also an important priority for US CEOs, at 39%. 

• Embed AI into supply chains: AI/technology use remains the top supply chain priority for both CEOs globally (34%) and CEOs in the US (29%).

• Bet on the US and Canada: CEOs across geographies name their home region as the #1 expansion priority, but the most-cited region overall is the US and Canada, at 53%.

• Amid the uncertainty, strengthen financial planning: Improving financial planning is the top financial priority for CEOs globally at 48%. CEOs in Japan were most adamant at 53%. It's also front and center for US CEOs, at 47%.

Note: The Conference Board thanks Ipsos, one of the world's leading market research companies, as well as seven other organizations that supported this research.  

About The Conference Board
The Conference Board is the member-driven think tank that delivers Trusted Insights for What's Ahead®. Founded in 1916, we are a non-partisan, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States. TCB.org 

SOURCE The Conference Board