Executive Leadership of the Future Will Be AI-Powered

Geneva, 22. August 2025 - In high-transaction environments such as the public sector or data-driven industries, executive leadership is facing new constraints. The pressure to act quickly, steer strategically, and remain resilient in volatile markets is rising. At the same time, traditional leadership tools are no longer sufficient. The new Robert Half study Towards the C-Suite 2035 shows that managed, AI-enabled leadership capabilities will become a decisive competitive factor over the next decade.

According to the study, 84 percent of surveyed executives consider AI to be the most critical skill for leadership roles by 2035. The C-Suite of the future must combine strategic foresight with digital fluency, data literacy, and adaptive thinking. While gut feeling and personal experience remain valuable, they are increasingly being supplemented and challenged by data-driven insights and intelligent technologies.

Over half of the executives surveyed believe that future leadership will be AI-supported and data-centric, while still grounded in human values. Only a minority, 9 percent, expect AI to fully take over decision-making. The majority view AI as a strategic partner that enriches insight, accelerates decisions, and creates space for high-value leadership tasks such as stakeholder engagement, crisis management, and talent development.

Julia Meir Lawi, Branch Director at Robert Half in Geneva, said:

"Executive leaders today face a complex and rapidly evolving set of challenges shaped by technological disruption, global instability, workforce dynamics and increasing stakeholder expectations. While there is often enthusiasm for innovation, most businesses still lack true digital competence in the C-Suite. Bridging this gap requires the development of new skills and strategic plans. As businesses move towards the C-Suite of 2035, executive education programmes focused on digital transformation, AI, and data analytics will enable leaders to understand the foundations of new technology without needing a technical background. A culture of curiosity and experimentation is equally important. Forward-thinking businesses are already encouraging their executives to lead experimental projects, create innovation labs and partnerships, and explore emerging technology applications."

The shortage of digital expertise is becoming a critical challenge. Many C-Suite teams lack the necessary experience to assess, implement, and govern AI-based tools. As a result, executive education programmes focused on digital transformation, data analytics, and applied AI are gaining importance. At the same time, companies are increasingly encouraging executives to lead innovation labs, pilot emerging technologies, and drive cross-functional experimentation.

Security concerns are also shaping the agenda. 37 percent of SMEs surveyed say they will need to significantly increase investment in cyber and network security in the coming years. Among large enterprises, the figure is 31 percent. In privately owned companies, 36 percent report a strong need for action. In listed companies, the figure is 32 percent.

The study surveyed 400 C-level executives and 100 private equity investors across Europe, covering SMEs, large organisations, publicly listed companies and privately owned firms. One clear finding is that the challenges of the next 10 years cannot be met with existing skillsets alone.

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Methodology

Robert Half commissioned UK-based Rigour Research Ltd to carry out an online survey in the first quarter of 2025 across the European Union and the United Kingdom. The survey gathered responses from 400 C-Suite and executive leader - ship professionals, drawn from a broad range of commercial sectors. Respondents were evenly split between SMEs and large enterprises, as well as between publicly listed and privately owned companies. In addition, 100 private equity investors based across Europe and the United States were surveyed.

The majority (88%) focus on growth and scale-up stage investments, while 34% also invest in distressed assets. The survey was conducted using prompted questions. Participants were initially asked to select all answer options applicable to their organisation. In a second step, they were asked to rank their top three choices from the options pre - viously selected. To ensure representative results, the data were weighted in line with the distribution of the overall population. Please note that due to rounding, some totals may not add up to exactly 100 %.

About us

Robert Half brings outstanding organisations and specialised talent together to build successful businesses and fulfilling careers. Innovation and high ethical standards have taken us from a small operation in 1948 to the world’s first and largest specialised talent solutions and business consulting firm, with almost 400 offices worldwide. Robert Half provides contract and permanent recruitment solutions across finance and accounting, IT and technology, financial services, administrative support, human resources, customer service, legal, and marketing.

Whether you are looking for a new role or seeking skilled professionals, we are here to support both businesses and careers in moving forward. Robert Half is the parent company of Protiviti, a global consulting firm offering internal audit, risk, business, and technology consulting services. Together, Robert Half and Protiviti deliver integrated Managed Solutions – combining recruitment expertise, consulting knowledge, and project delivery capability to help organisations address complex business challenges with agility and scale. Robert Half, including Protiviti, has been recognised as one of Fortune’s Most Admired Companies™ and named to the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For ® list.

More information: https://www.roberthalf.com/ch/en/about-us.

Press contact: Moritz Ballerstädt T: +49 (0)172 4517362 E: [email protected]