Executives Say They're Ahead, But Data Shows They're Running the Same Playbook
A new PwC survey of 678 US executives reveals a paradox: confidence is rising, yet competitive advantage remains elusive. Sixty-seven percent say they're ahead of competitors on speed of decision-making. Ninety percent report their company is in a stronger position than two years ago. But when nearly everyone believes they're winning, the question becomes: winning against whom?
The survey, conducted in March 2026, shows executives have moved past the initial shock of disruption. They're acting. The problem is they're acting identically.
Adaptation Has Become the Baseline
Since early 2025, executives report taking an average of nearly four strategic actions. The top three moves dominate: increasing AI investment (38%), strengthening risk management (36%), and adjusting trade strategy (35%).
More than six in ten report faster innovation and improved agility as a result. But 73% of executives picked at least one of those same three actions. When every company makes the same moves, those moves stop differentiating and become the cost of competing.
Fifty-three percent of companies have already moved beyond planning on cost reduction, budget adjustments, and supplier diversification. The execution phase is underway across the board.
Risk Pressure Comes From Every Direction
Nine in ten executives cite at least one major risk as moderate or serious: cyber threats, macroeconomic uncertainty, geopolitical uncertainty, or regulatory complexity. No single threat dominates. The operating environment remains complex.
Health industries executives face particular pressure. Ninety percent cite cyber-attacks as a moderate or serious risk-the highest among all industries surveyed.
Eighty-seven percent of executives expect US fiscal pressures to push business taxes higher and are already planning for it. Volatility is now treated as a permanent feature, not a temporary disruption.
When Crisis Hits, Executives Go Defensive
Despite their confidence, executives still default to defense when external disruption strikes. Ninety-eight percent selected at least one defensive move, such as preserving cash or safeguarding operations. Only 76% selected an offensive move, like accelerating innovation or pursuing new markets.
That gap matters. Advantage comes from knowing when to absorb pressure and when to create it.
The Intelligence Gap Slows Decision-Making
There's a gap between what executives feel and what they actually know. Eighty-seven percent see disruption as an opportunity, but 68% struggle to translate uncertainty into business decisions. Sixty-five percent lack the data needed to assess geopolitical risks and opportunities.
AI is becoming central to decision-making, yet its value remains unclear. Eighty-one percent of executives say they're at least a year away from seeing meaningful returns beyond efficiency gains.
The result: leaders feel more capable, but many lack the intelligence to act decisively. AI Data Analysis skills could help close this gap by connecting external signals and disparate data across tax, trade, supply chain, and finance.
Growth Is Visible, but Constraints Are Real
Sixty percent of executives say the speed of technology adoption is enabling growth. Fifty-five percent point to access to new markets.
But expansion faces headwinds. Twenty-eight percent say regulation limits their growth plans over the next one to two years. Workforce availability and skills (22%) and energy availability, reliability, and cost (20%) also constrain expansion.
Execution Separates Leaders From Followers
In an environment where companies face identical risks and pursue similar strategies, differentiation shifts from strategy to execution. Organizations that pull ahead are more likely to:
- Embed real-time geopolitical intelligence into decisions to act before volatility forces their hand
- Invest through disruption by pressing forward while others wait for clarity
- Close the gap between insight and action by connecting external signals across functions
- Align leadership and capital around clear priorities and translate strategy into measurable results
Thirty-two percent of executives expect more opportunities in the next year, and they're already taking action to manage risk and adapt strategy. Eighty-three percent are adopting a more long-term, US-focused business strategy.
The past year proved executives can adapt to sustained disruption. The next phase determines who can turn that capability into advantage. Confidence is up. Capabilities are improving. In an environment where everyone is moving, standing out requires more than keeping pace. AI for Executives & Strategy training helps leaders make faster, more informed decisions when speed and clarity matter most.
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