Governance, workforce gaps hinder companies' AI adoption despite rising investments: KPMG

KPMG's 2025 Global CEO Outlook survey has revealed that over 70% of CEOs rank AI as their top investment priority. What a resounding vote of confidence — except, of course, for the pesky little detail that most of them are utterly unprepared to do anything with it. Governance gaps, data readiness, workforce shortfalls: it's like deciding to climb Everest but realising you've only packed a sunhat and a pair of flip-flops. The enthusiasm is palpable; the execution, less so.

The survey is a masterful self-licking ice cream cone: KPMG identifies the problems, then offers expensive consulting to fix them. 'Data readiness' is a polite way of saying your data infrastructure is held together with duct tape and prayers. 'Governance gaps' means no one has a clue who's responsible for what. And 'workforce capability' translates to 'we hired a chief AI officer last week and expect miracles by Monday.' Naturally, KPMG is ready with a tailored framework for every one of these shortfalls — for a fee. It's the consultancy circle of life.

Then there's the workforce gap itself. Companies are pouring billions into AI while lacking the people to build, deploy, or maintain it. They can't find talent, so they either overpay for a few data scientists or force existing staff into 'retraining programmes' that are about as effective as teaching a goldfish to play chess. Expect a flurry of disastrous pilots, a few PR disasters, and eventually a quiet pivot to 'we're investing in capability building' — which means sending everyone on an online course that no one completes. The AI revolution is imminent. Just not at your company.