AI strategies shift from cost-cutting to growth focus

Thoughtworks said most business leaders now view artificial intelligence as a source of growth rather than a route to cost savings, as executive focus shifts towards revenue uplift and new operating models.

Research from the technology consultancy found 77% of business leaders have shifted their AI strategies from efficiency to growth and innovation. The figure rose to 92% among large enterprises, Thoughtworks said.

The study surveyed 3,500 IT decision-makers and C-suite leaders and 3,502 consumers across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, India, Brazil, Singapore and Australia. Censuswide conducted the research, Thoughtworks said.

Revenue expectations

Thoughtworks reported increasing confidence in top-line impact from AI. Twenty seven percent of executives globally said they expect up to 10% revenue growth from AI in the next year. Nearly half of global leaders expect AI to deliver more than 15% revenue uplift within a decade, according to the findings.

Expectations varied by market. Thoughtworks said India and Brazil were the most optimistic, with 49.2% in each market expecting more than 15% revenue uplift within five years. Germany ranked lower, at 28.8%. Australia stood at 20%, the research found.

In the United Kingdom, Thoughtworks said three-quarters of business leaders have shifted their AI strategies' focus from cost-cutting to growth. The company said sentiment in Britain appeared mixed when compared with the global headline results.

Agentic AI

The research highlighted agentic AI as a growing priority for organisations. Thoughtworks said 35% of leaders globally now call it a top focus.

Interest also varied by region. Thoughtworks said India led with 48.6%, followed by Singapore at 40.8% and the United Kingdom at 40%. Brazil stood at 28.2% and the United States at 28%. Australia reported 23.4%, according to the study. Germany measured 31%, near the global average.

Thoughtworks said these differences reflected uneven rates of adoption across markets.

Boardroom changes

Thoughtworks also pointed to organisational changes around ownership of AI programmes. More than half of the surveyed companies now have a Chief AI Officer, the consultancy said.

Among organisations with a Chief AI Officer, 72% said the role holds budget authority and accountability for return on investment, according to the findings. Thoughtworks said adoption of the role was highest in India and Brazil. It said Australia and Germany sat below the global average.

Thoughtworks framed the change as a shift in executive agenda.

"This marks a structural shift in how organizations plan for growth," said Rachel Laycock, Chief Technology Officer, Thoughtworks. "Leaders are no longer asking how efficient they can become. They are asking how expansive they can be. The organizations moving fastest are integrating AI into the core of how they operate."

Thoughtworks also linked the new executive role to strategy and governance decisions around AI investment.

"The CAIO role is no longer experimental," said Shayan Mohanty, Chief AI Officer, Thoughtworks. "It sits at the center of strategy. The companies that are separating from the pack are the ones that make AI part of their foundation rather than a side project."

Consumer caution

The consumer results in the study suggested a gap between business expectations and public perceptions. Thoughtworks said 21% of consumers globally believe AI will have no impact on them in the next five years.

The figure was higher in two markets. In the United Kingdom, 38% of consumers said AI will have no personal impact in the next five years. In the United States, the figure reached 32%, Thoughtworks said.

Thoughtworks said consumer concerns differed by region. It said fear of misinformation was highest in the United States and the United Kingdom. It said demand for transparency was strongest in Brazil and India.

At the same time, the consultancy reported that many consumers described positive experiences. Seventy two percent said AI is adding value to their work or personal life. One quarter said AI has helped them learn a new skill. Thirteen percent said they have used AI to create a new income stream, according to the study.

Jobs and skills

The research also examined workforce impacts. Thoughtworks said 84% of business leaders believe AI is augmenting talent rather than replacing it.

Measures of job creation again differed by market. Thoughtworks said India led with 57.1% of organisations reporting a net increase in roles created through human AI collaboration. Brazil followed at 50%. The United States reported 36% and Australia 33%, the consultancy said.

Across markets, 22% of organisations said they have created new AI-driven career paths that did not exist before, Thoughtworks reported.

Thoughtworks said the results point to a period of experimentation around operating models, governance and workforce planning as companies make AI a larger part of commercial strategy.