Bethany Alvaro 
From AI to inflation, global conflict to labour shortages, the 2026 CEO Institute Survey report has emphasised the changing, vigilant nature of business leadership in a contemporary environment that is riddled with challenges.
The report, which is backed by software analytics company Pronto Software, found that technical disruption and cyber risks were the third-highest ranked challenge facing the contemporary market. An additional 13 per cent of respondents noted that cyber attacks with links to state actors and geopolitical tensions were the top business threat.
“That number feels lower than it should be,” Chad Gates, managing director of Pronto Software, said.
“CEOs probably should be more concerned about state-sponsored cyber hacking – particularly around things like denial of service and knocking people off air.”
Despite this uptick in digital concern, 22 per cent of Aussie businesses and 16 per cent of New Zealand businesses have reportedly planned to prioritise technology and digital efforts in 2026.
“Everybody thinks they need AI in their business,” Gates said.
“But they don’t always know what that really means or how to get the best out of it.
“AI represents endless possibility, endless opportunity, and endless fear of missing out.
“But there is also growing concern around security and AI deepfakes – because as technology accelerates, so does the cyber security arms race.”
With unease and concern surrounding this planned digital transformation, businesses are reminded to take caution with emerging technologies and ensure cyber security measures are implemented and understood by both CEOs and staff.
The report further noted that inflationary pressure and consumer demand slowdown were two critical drivers in the changing nature of running a business in 2026.
“Overall, the direction of travel is positive,” Richard Wynn, chief executive of The CEO Institute, said.
“The next step is to turn questions into standing agenda items, clear risk appetite statements and concrete structural decisions, rather than occasional conversations when a crisis flares.”
The full report is available here.