IBM Korea announced that its investment in AI will accelerate further and double in the next two years.

IBM Korea disclosed the results of a global CEO study by the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) at the 'AI Insight Forum' held at The Forum in Yeouido International Finance Center on the 17th.

This survey involved over 2,000 CEOs around the world and provides insight into the current state of AI investment and strategic changes.

The survey results show that the growth rate of AI investment by responding companies is expected to more than double over the next two years.

Specifically, 61% of global CEOs responded that they have already introduced or are preparing to expand AI agents. On the other hand, only 45% of Korean CEOs agreed, showing a cautious attitude.

Additionally, 64% of global CEOs responded that they are boldly investing in technologies to gain competitive advantage even before their value is fully proven.

Among Korean CEOs, only 52% admitted to taking risks, and the percentage of those who preferred a ‘rapid trial and error’ approach was only 28%, lower than the global average (37%).

The digital transformation process also revealed difficulties in budget allocation. Fifty-nine percent of global CEOs complained about maintaining a balance between existing operating funds and innovation investments, and 67% responded that budget flexibility is needed for long-term growth.

There was also a high level of awareness that AI is changing the way businesses operate. 68% of global CEOs and 78% of Korean CEOs responded that AI is redefining key elements, and 54% believed that future competitiveness depends on having ‘generative AI.’

The importance of data integration architecture was also emphasized.

68% of global CEOs said enterprise-wide data integration is essential for cross-departmental collaboration, and 72% said their own data is key to realizing generative AI value.

On the other hand, the challenge of building a data environment remains, with about half (50%) admitting to technological disconnection and the use of fragmented solutions.

The reality of measuring AI project ROI was also not easy. On a project basis, 65% introduced AI considering ROI, and 68% had innovative ROI measurement indicators. However, only 25% of cases achieved the actual target ROI, and only 16% were spread across the company.

Challenges remain in the area of talent acquisition. 56% of global CEOs reported difficulties attracting and retaining key technology talent, while 66% said they plan to focus on strategic collaborations with a select few partners.

In the panel discussion, AI project managers from institutions such as Seoul AI Foundation, Mirae Asset Securities, and Coway DX Center came on stage and shared specific insights on AI adoption strategies, challenges encountered during implementation, and success factors.