Technological Change Overtakes Economic Concerns as Number One Factor in Organizational Health for the First Time, Global Survey Reveals

Russell Reynolds Associates’ H1 2026 Global Leadership Monitor finds that 63% of business leaders identify technological change as the primary force shaping organizational performance. While a majority of global executives view this technological shift as an opportunity, only 51% of leaders feel prepared to successfully operationalize these systems. Findings align with intensified AI investment and integration in the Kingdom, under Vision 2030, as Saudi Arabia positions itself as a global hub for AI and emerging technologies.

Global leadership advisory firm Russell Reynolds Associates released its Global Leadership Monitor H1 2026, a bi-annual survey of 2,700+ global business leaders tracking organizational health and leadership preparedness against external trends. The report shows global leadership at an inflection point – with technological change emerging as the single most critical factor influencing organizational performance for the first time since the survey was launched in 2021.

Two in three (63%) global executives identify technological disruption – including AI, machine learning, robotics, big data, IoT, and related technologies – as a significant opportunity or challenge in the next 12 to 18 months. This represents a near doubling of concern since 2022, rising from 32% with a near 10-percentage-point increase in the last year alone.

This is already translating into action on the ground: 35% of leaders report their teams have fully implemented GenAI into daily workflows, nearly double the 19% recorded just twelve months ago.

Despite overarching optimism for the opportunities technology presents, the report nods to an apparent execution gap: only half (51%) of leaders feel confident in their ability to operationalize these technological shifts. This, however, is higher than perceived preparedness for external challenges beyond executive control, such as geopolitical uncertainty (32%) and uncertain economic growth (40%).

This in fact marks the first time uncertain economic growth has been displaced from the top of the corporate agenda since 2023. This shift in corporate priorities aligns with accelerating investments in AI transformation sweeping across Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom is pursuing strategic partnerships to further expand cooperation and implementation of AI and advanced technologies – most recently through high-level meetings with China – to further position AI as a key driver of economic diversification, innovation, and productivity under Vision 2030.