The Global CEO Outlook for Banks depicts a sector in motion. Despite geopolitical uncertainty and increasing complexity, bank CEOs worldwide remain remarkably optimistic about growth. That confidence is reflected in targeted investments in technology, people, and resilience. Artificial intelligence plays a central role: banks are shifting from experimenting to scaling and expect measurable returns within the next few years, including in fraud prevention, KYC, risk management, and customer interaction. At the same time, the Outlook highlights that cybersecurity has become the biggest strategic risk, making digital resilience and trust essential conditions for sustainable growth.
Key findings
- 83% of bank CEOs remain confident about the future, despite geopolitical turbulence.
- 65% consider AI adoption a top priority; 69% expect these investments to deliver measurable returns.
- 86% identify cyber threats as the biggest risk and therefore place resilience at the top of the agenda.
- 83% focus on workforce transformation to unlock AI value; 79% are adjusting the skill profiles they seek in new hires.
