KPMG: Cybersecurity Tops Business Growth Risks, Becomes Companies' Primary Investment Priority

According to Zhitong Finance APP, KPMG recently released its "2026 Global CEO Outlook" report, which surveyed 1,400 corporate CEOs worldwide.

The report shows that cyber and data security risks have surpassed factors such as economic uncertainty and geopolitical turmoil to become the number one risk constraining global corporate growth over the next three years, while cybersecurity and digital resilience have also become the primary areas for increased investment in corporate risk prevention and control.

Data shows that 31% of surveyed CEOs listed cyber and data security as the biggest threat to corporate growth, higher than global economic uncertainty at 28%, geopolitical turmoil and regulatory pressure at 26%, and supply chain resilience risks at 24%.

Faced with the severe cybersecurity risk landscape, 45% of global CEOs said they have increased investment in cybersecurity and digital risk resilience, a proportion higher than other risk hedging investment areas such as compliance and regulation (36%) and business AI integration (32%).

The report points out that the large-scale application of artificial intelligence brings continuously rising derivative risks such as new types of cyberattacks and data breaches, with cybersecurity deeply tied to AI implementation.

Despite the prominent risk challenges, 79% of global CEOs still regard artificial intelligence as a key investment track for the next three years. While advancing digital transformation, companies are simultaneously strengthening their security foundations to balance technological innovation with business risk resistance.