Artificial Intelligence (AI) I is everywhere these days: Post-secondary students using ChatGPT for assignments, engineers using it for coding and much more. Turns out, Canadian CEOs like what they see. According to the 2025 IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) CEO Study, 72% of Canadian CEOs are actively adopting AI agents and preparing to implement them at scale, compared to 61% globally.
"Canadian CEOs are taking bold steps to integrate AI into their operations, signalling a clear understanding of its transformative potential," Rob Wilmot, IBM Canada’s general manager and managing partner of consulting, said in a statement.
"But this isn’t just about adopting AI – it’s about embedding it thoughtfully and effectively across the organization. The IBM study indicates that Canadian businesses have the ambition. Now it’s time to focus on execution."
Barriers to AI adoption
The study reveals Canadian CEOs are prioritizing data as the foundation for innovation and global competitiveness. For example, 76% of Canadian CEOs are investing in technologies before fully understanding their ROI, compared to 64% globally, underscoring a willingness to experiment according to an IBM release.
Nearly seven in 10 are willing to take more risks than competitors to maintain a competitive edge, and almost half identify poorly integrated or insufficient data as a significant barrier to AI innovation.
The IBM release cites the Vancouver International Airport (YVR) as an example of leadership in AI adoption, thanks to its digital twin technology. As well, every employee will be equipped with a trainable AI assistant aimed at enabling cross-functional collaboration.
"AI has been business needs-driven to ensure that we can start small and scale – that we can test its adoption, get people working on it, and then scale it across our operations," Tamara Vrooman, the airport’s CEO, said in a statement. "Data as a single source of truth that everybody can see has been transformational for partnerships.”
Upskilling for AI
For many, this mass AI adoption means a confusing new world. Canadian CEOs are adopting strategies to address these workforce challenges, including reskilling existing talent, hiring for emerging AI-related roles and integrating AI assistants into workflows.
Specifically, 50% of Canadian CEOs are hiring for positions that did not exist a year ago and 58% plan to use automation to bridge skill gaps. Rapid AI training is also becoming essential, as CEOs say 33% of the workforce will require retraining.
Study methodology
The study surveyed 2,000 CEOs across 33 countries and 24 industries — including 80 Canadian C-Suite leaders.
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
