C-Suite Confidence in AI Drops Amid Rising Investments and Adoption Challenges
According to The Register, despite record AI spending, executive confidence drops, emphasizing the need to pair technical expertise with human leadership and soft skills.
5 minutes
2nd of January, 2026
Despite massive AI investments, executive confidence is plunging. A 2025 Akkodis survey of 2,000 leaders shows CEO confidence dropped from 82% to 49%, with failed implementations, scalability issues, and limited AI fluency fueling growing skepticism.
AI Confidence Declines Across the C-Suite
A 2025 survey shows executive confidence in AI strategy has declined sharply, with leaders pointing to integration challenges, unmet expectations, and limited AI fluency across management teams.
AI and soft skills are two sides of the same coin.
-Cristopher Kuehl, VP of AI and Data Science at Akkodis.
Combining advanced AI technology with human leadership, empathy, and people skills is critical to unlock AI’s full potential and drive sustainable business transformation.
Soft Skills: The Key to Unlocking AI Potential
Leaders are realizing that successful AI adoption goes beyond technology. Critical human skills—such as communication, team leadership, and strategic thinking—are essential to turn AI investments into actionable results and measurable business value.
“Human leadership and empathy must complement AI capabilities to achieve meaningful outcomes,” emphasizes Cristopher Kuehl, VP of AI and Data Science at Akkodis.
Organizations that combine soft skills with AI initiatives are better equipped to overcome implementation challenges, drive adoption, and deliver sustainable, measurable success.