Thoughtworks research suggests large enterprises are repositioning artificial intelligence from a cost-cutting tool to a source of revenue growth, with agentic AI and Chief AI Officer appointments rising on board agendas.

The study surveyed 3,500 IT decision-makers and C-suite leaders, alongside 3,502 consumers, across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, India, Brazil, Singapore and Australia. It found 77% of business leaders globally said their AI strategy had moved beyond efficiency. Among large enterprises, the figure rose to 92%.

Executives also reported stronger expectations for top-line impact. Twenty-seven percent of respondents said they expected up to 10% revenue growth from AI in the next year. Nearly half said they expected more than 15% revenue uplift from AI within the next decade.

Sentiment varied by market. India and Brazil recorded the highest near-term optimism, with 49.2% in each market expecting more than 15% revenue uplift within five years. Germany recorded 28.8% and Australia recorded 20% on the same measure.

Agentic Focus

Agentic AI ranked as a top priority for 35% of leaders globally, according to the survey. The research described this as a dividing line between faster and slower-moving regions.

India led this category with 48.6% of leaders identifying agentic AI as a top priority. Singapore followed at 40.8%. The UK recorded 40%. Germany recorded 31%. Brazil recorded 28.2%, the US recorded 28%, and Australia recorded 23.4%.

“This marks a structural shift in how organiations 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 organisations moving fastest are integrating AI into the core of how they operate.”

Singapore Pressure

The research singled out Singapore for what it described as an unusually intense competitive environment around AI adoption. It reported that 66% of business leaders in Singapore felt competitive pressure to adopt AI quickly.

In that market, 23% of leaders cited increased Customer Lifetime Value as the primary impact of their AI initiatives. The study also pointed to a constraint in execution. It said 21% of Singapore leaders cited skills gaps as their top barrier to scaling AI.

Boardroom Roles

Thoughtworks reported a shift in formal governance for AI programmes. More than half of surveyed companies said they now had a Chief AI Officer.

Among organisations with a Chief AI Officer, 72% said the role held budget authority and accountability for return on investment. The research said adoption of the role was highest in India and Brazil, and lower in Australia and Germany.

The summary highlighted Singapore as the highest market for Chief AI Officer adoption, with 64% of companies reporting the role in place. Australia recorded 38% and the US recorded a lower figure in the same comparison.

“The CAIO role is no longer experimental,” said Shayan Mohanty. “It sits at the centre 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.”

Consumers Wary

The consumer portion of the survey suggested a gap between executive expectations and public perceptions of impact. Globally, 21% of consumers said AI would have no impact on them in the next five years.

The figure rose sharply in the UK, where 38% of consumers took that view. In the US, it reached 32%. The study said scepticism was lower in Brazil and India, which it linked to higher exposure to AI-assisted services.

Consumer concerns also differed by market. The research identified fear of misinformation as the highest in the US and UK. It identified demand for transparency as strongest in Brazil and India.

Despite these concerns, 72% of consumers surveyed said AI was adding value to their work or personal life. One quarter said AI had helped them learn a new skill, and 13% said they had used AI to create a new income stream.

Jobs And Skills

On employment, 84% of business leaders globally said AI was augmenting talent rather than replacing it, according to the research. It also reported varying levels of net job creation attributed to human-AI collaboration.

India recorded the highest reported net increase in roles, with 57.1% of organisations saying they had added roles through human-AI collaboration. Brazil followed at 50%. The US recorded 36% and Australia recorded 33%.

The research said 22% of organisations globally had created new AI-driven career paths that did not exist before. It framed these roles as part of a broader change in workforce planning, as AI programmes move from experimentation into core operating models.