Funding into AI has reached hundreds of billions of dollars. Investors are now seeking real impact in businesses, according to a survey by PwC.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been delivering a promising narrative of revolutionary changes to the future of business. Between Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon and Meta alone, funding in the space exceeded $220 billion in 2024, up from $148 billion in 2023. But certain milestones have yet to be realized ranging from real-world implementation of use cases to monetization.
Nonetheless, investors expect accelerated efforts. According to PwC’s «2024 Global Investor Survey», 73 percent of respondents say that companies should deploy AI solutions at scale. 66 percent expect the firms they invest in or cover to improve productivity from the use of such technologies over the next 12 months. 63 percent and 62 percent expect AI to increase revenue and profitability, respectively.
Increased Scrutiny
Overall, technological change is viewed as the most significant driver of change for the businesses invested by respondents at 71 percent, ahead of government regulation (64 percent), changes in customer preference (61 percent) and supply chain instability (60 percent). Respondents also see no trade-off between AI and workers with 74 percent urging businesses to invest in upskilling their workforce.
«[I]nvestors expect to see real outcomes from GenAI over the next year and recognize that achieving this will take investment in people and upskilling, as well as technology,» said Geoffrey Wang, PwC China managing partner – markets. «Management can expect scrutiny over how they deliver AI productivity gains and support for approaches that extend beyond the tech itself to reinvent the way their businesses operate.»
The survey was based on responses from 345 investors and analysts across 24 countries and territories.
