By PwC
More than three-fifths (61%) of investors say technology will be the sector attracting the most investment over the next three years, well ahead of every other sector, according to the recently published PwC’s 2025 Global Investor Survey.
The survey of 1,074 investment professionals across 26 countries and territories found that technology was expected to be two to three times as likely to attract the most investment than the next three sectors. Asset and wealth management came in next at 25%, followed by power and utilities (24%) and banking and capital markets (19%).
With technology racing ahead, investors also want to see the companies they invest in keep up – 92% are calling for increased capital allocation to technological transformation.
The overwhelming support for investment in technological transformation comes as investors see companies realising gains from AI adoption. Over the past year, investors report AI-driven improvements in productivity (86%), profitability (71%) and revenue gains (66%) in the companies they invest in.
Off the back of these gains, more than three-quarters (78%) say they would at least moderately increase their investment in companies pursuing enterprise-wide AI transformation.
However, investors are looking for more transparency to inform their decision making – less than two-fifths (37%) say companies disclose enough about AI strategies and policies.
Kazi Islam, Global Assurance Strategy and Growth Leader, PwC US, said: “Investors are beginning to see tangible evidence of operational and financial gains from AI. While investors understand AI returns require upfront capital, they expect discipline: decision-useful metrics, credible governance, and evidence that AI reshapes cost curves, productivity, and revenue safely and repeatably.
Tech optimism belies sluggish overall growth outlook
Despite qualified enthusiasm for investment in technology, expectations of global growth are subdued amid a challenging macroeconomic environment – only 28% expect moderate to significant improvement in global growth over the next year.
Zooming in from the global picture, investors believe the United States will be the most attractive destination for investment (67%) over the next three years, ahead of India (45%), Chinese Mainland (32%), the United Kingdom (26%) and the United Arab Emirates (26%).
While the US is ranked most attractive, US-based investors themselves are less likely than their counterparts elsewhere to expect global growth, underscoring a cautious baseline that varies by market.
Conservative expectations of growth can be partially explained by investors’ assessment of the threat landscape. More than half of respondents (55%) describe high or extreme exposure to cyber risk at the companies they invest in or cover, and nearly as many (53%) see the same in technological disruption. Inflation (44%), macroeconomic volatility (43%), and geopolitical conflict (42%) are also weighing on sentiment.
Business resilience and AI transparency as critical enablers
In an unpredictable landscape, investors are supporting companies that bolster their resilience, while making the most of tech-driven opportunities to deliver clear, transparent returns.
Investors support companies spending more on cybersecurity (88%), business model agility (73%), regulatory compliance (66%) and supply chain management (64%) to protect against key threats.
Business model agility is seen as a pathway to both resilience and growth. Roughly three-fourths (74%) of respondents expect higher growth from companies that pursue opportunities across traditional sector boundaries. At the same time, 65% see higher risk of disruption for companies that don’t.
The drive for resilience and growth extends to sustainability, with 84% of investors noting companies should maintain or increase their investment in climate adaptation. At the same time, 61% note they would at least moderately increase their own investment in companies using sustainability data for efficiency and performance.
Investors are also asking for more information about how management will deliver growth amid uncertainty. The biggest transparency asks are innovation strategies (47% of respondents), AI returns and cost savings (42%), AI investments (42%), competitive position (37%), and resilience strategies (29%).
Nadja Picard, Global Reporting Leader, PwC Germany, said: “The message from investors is clear – technology transformation remains the highway for growth, but resilience and transparency are the guardrails. Investors are rewarding companies that can scale innovation responsibly, with clear governance, measurable outcomes and credible plans to turn technology into lasting value.”
