Corporate AI Spending to Soar 150% by 2030, IBM Study Finds

A major new study from the IBM Institute for Business Value, conducted in late 2025, reveals that corporate leaders are preparing to fundamentally reshape their businesses around artificial intelligence. The survey of 2,000 executives across 33 countries indicates spending on AI, as a share of revenue, is projected to increase by 150% from 2025 levels.

The research, released in January 2026, shows a significant shift in how that money will be used. Companies plan to move from using AI primarily for efficiency gains to dedicating over 60% of their AI investment toward product innovation and reinventing their business models. "AI won't just support businesses, it will define them," said Mohamad Ali, senior vice president at IBM Consulting. "By 2030, the companies that win will weave AI into every decision and operation."

This optimism comes with a strategic warning. While nearly 80% of executives expect AI to generate substantial revenue by 2030, only 24% can clearly identify where those gains will originate. A majority also express concern that AI projects may fail if they are not properly aligned with core business activities.

The report identifies a growing divide between early adopters and others. Organizations leading in AI integration expect productivity boosts 70% greater than their competitors, alongside significantly faster project delivery. This pressure is changing how companies operate, pushing them toward faster experimentation and partnerships.

Looking ahead, executives predict a move away from massive, generic AI models toward smaller, specialized systems integrated directly into company-specific processes and data. By 2030, 82% expect to use a collection of different AI models. The next wave of disruption is already on the horizon, with 59% of leaders anticipating that hybrids of AI and quantum computing will begin upending industries before the decade ends.

Source: Webpronews