With economic uncertainty looming, Canadian executives and employees are responding by leaning into AI.

A new report from the IBM Institute of Business Value (IBV), 5 trends for 2026, surveyed more than 1,000 C‑suite executives and 8,500 global consumers and employees to assess how AI and related technologies are helping organizations navigate volatility. While executives remain concerned about the economic outlook, 74 per cent say economic and geopolitical instability will create new business opportunities in 2026.

“Canadian executives are dealing with a mix of economic uncertainty, geopolitical tension and pressure on global supply chains, and they know these forces can shift quickly,” said Rob Wilmot, general manager, IBM Consulting Canada, in an email interview with TECHNX.

“What’s interesting in the IBV study is that leaders don’t just see volatility as a risk. They believe it will create new opportunities for those who can move faster than their competitors.”

To stay competitive, 95 per cent of executives said they must make rapid decisions to stay ahead of market disruptions and seize emerging opportunities. Ninety-six per cent said their highest‑stakes decisions in 2025 proved to be the right ones.

To help them make those decisions, executives are embracing AI.

Adopting agentic AI for competitive advantage

Many executives are turning to what Wilmot called agentic AI — systems that not only analyze information but can take independent, bounded actions to support real‑time decision‑making.

“These AI agents can monitor operations, triage information, automate routine decisions and help organizations respond in seconds instead of days,” he said. “With 90 per cent of Canadian executives saying they may lose their edge if they can’t operate in real time, agentic AI becomes a way to turn disruption into advantage.”

More than four-in-five executives said agentic AI is already helping their organizations make better, faster decisions and reallocate resources amid disruption. Sixty-nine per cent said they need to develop agentic AI simulation and modelling capabilities to manage future economic uncertainty.

For example, the study notes that a manufacturer facing supply‑chain disruption could use AI agents to identify alternative suppliers, reroute logistics and adjust pricing models, while competitors are still scheduling emergency meetings. A retailer could detect shifts in consumer sentiment on social media and trigger immediate marketing or product adjustments.

One-in-four executives said their organization had AI agents taking independent action in 2025, and seven-in-10 expected to have that capability by the end of 2026.

Employees embracing AI

Employees are also adopting AI tools to manage workplace change and uncertainty. While some worry about how AI will reshape their roles or feel overwhelmed by the pace of technological change, many are optimistic about the benefits.

Across all generations, at least twice as many employees said they would embrace, rather than resist, greater use of AI at work in 2026.

“Canadian employees want more AI at work because they see the practical benefits,” Wilmot said. “Fifty‑one per cent say AI already makes their jobs less mundane and more strategic. They see AI agents helping with tasks like summarizing information, preparing drafts, managing workflows or providing insights that let them focus on higher‑value work.”

The study found 63 per cent of employees would collaborate with an AI agent, and nearly half (48 per cent) said they’d be comfortable being managed by one. More than half (56 per cent) said they would switch employers, while 42 per cent said they would take a pay cut to receive better training in new technologies.

To meet that AI need, Wilmot said employers must integrate AI agents directly into existing workplace platforms and workflows.

“AI agents can’t sit off to the side. They need to be embedded into the tools employees already use,” he said. “Companies should focus on high‑quality data, strong governance and training programs that build confidence. Nearly half of Canadian employees say they would switch employers for better AI training. Organizations that design AI with employees, not just for them, will see the biggest productivity and engagement gains.”

Wilmot added as AI adoption accelerates, organizations must be transparent about how these systems are used, especially when agentic AI influences business decisions.

“Canadians are remarkably open to AI,” he said. “Almost half say they’re excited enough about new AI‑enabled services that they’ll tolerate some flaws. What they won’t tolerate is hidden AI. Eighty‑two per cent said they would trust a brand less if it concealed its use of AI, and many said they would switch providers or even pay more to avoid it.

"Transparency is essential. Organizations should clearly disclose when AI is being used, explain how decisions are made and be transparent about where humans are involved. Transparency isn’t just a compliance requirement; it’s becoming a competitive differentiator.”