Tech Leaders Push AI From Pilots To Scale

KPMG’s Global Tech Report 2026 shows that organisations worldwide are moving beyond experimentation with artificial intelligence and are now focused on embedding it into core operations.

The report finds that while ambition around AI adoption is high and implementation is accelerating, many organisations are still grappling with the complexity of scaling and achieving consistent returns.

The research shows that 68 percent of organisations aim to reach the highest level of AI maturity by the end of 2026, yet only 24 percent have achieved that benchmark today. Nearly nine in ten organisations, or 88 percent, are investing in agentic AI, autonomous digital agents that can act, decide, and execute tasks, signalling a shift from pilot projects to enterprise-wide deployment.

While progress is evident, results remain uneven. Seventy four percent of respondents say their AI use cases are delivering business value, but just 24 percent report achieving return on investment across multiple use cases. At the same time, 90 percent plan to expand partnerships and technology ecosystems over the next year, even as 53 percent acknowledge they lack the talent required to fully realise their digital transformation ambitions. More than three quarters, or 78 percent, believe they must take greater risks on emerging technologies to remain competitive.

The report poses a central question for technology leaders, can organisational ambition match operational reality, and can companies continue to deliver today while preparing for the next wave of innovation?

“The future belongs to leaders who turn intelligence into advantage. Our research shows organisations are pushing past the early phase of ‘AI roulette’ and are now increasingly focused on delivering value. When ambition meets disciplined execution, value compounds,” said Guy Holland, Global Leader, CIO Center of Excellence at KPMG International.

From an African perspective, the challenge is less about access to technology and more about readiness to scale it responsibly. “As Africa enters the Intelligence Age, the differentiator is no longer access to technology, but the ability to build the skills, governance, and operating models required to scale it,” said Marshal Luusa, Partner and Technology and Innovation Lead at KPMG One Africa. He added that organisations investing early in digital skills, human AI collaboration, and adaptive leadership will be best positioned to convert innovation into sustainable economic impact.

Leaders Race Toward Higher Tech Maturity

Half of global tech leaders surveyed expect to reach the highest level of overall technology maturity in 2026, compared to just 11 percent today. High performing organisations, those leading in technology maturity, process maturity, and value creation, are already seeing the benefits, reporting an average return on investment of 4.5 times, more than double the industry average of 2 times. Smaller firms, organisations under less cost pressure, and transformation focused companies also reported stronger than average returns.

Rather than a single investment sweet spot, the report identifies distinct return on investment zones, ranging from early quick wins to accelerating enterprise-wide value as maturity increases.

Agentic AI Gathers Pace

Artificial intelligence is increasingly viewed as a strategic necessity rather than a passing trend. While adoption is widespread, the report notes that scaling remains a hurdle. Only a quarter of organisations have managed to expand AI across multiple use cases with consistent returns, underscoring the need for clearer enterprise-wide alignment and performance metrics beyond traditional financial indicators.

People Remain Central To Transformation

Despite rapid advances in automation and agentic AI, human expertise continues to play a critical role. Organisations expect 42 percent of their technology workforce to remain permanent human staff by 2027, a modest decline from 2025. High performing organisations anticipate retaining an even larger share, with half of their technology workforce remaining human.

However, skills gaps persist. More than half of organisations report they still lack the talent needed to deliver on their transformation strategies. Looking ahead, 92 percent of executives believe that managing AI agents will become a critical skill within the next five years.

Partnerships And Risk-Taking Shape The Future

To accelerate innovation and close capability gaps, organisations are increasingly turning to partnerships. Nearly one third of tech executives plan to increase investment in centres of excellence to support cross functional collaboration and controlled experimentation.

With quantum computing and artificial superintelligence on the horizon, the report concludes that leaders must balance bold risk taking with disciplined execution. By investing in ethical frameworks, talent development, and resilient operating models, tech executives aim to turn rapid disruption into long term, compounding value.