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Key Takeaways The CEOs who will win in 2026 will be the ones who use AI strategically, build a strong talent bench and get closer to customers.
They will also tap into macro trends (like nearshoring and private equity roll-ups) and have the discipline to act on — or shut down — opportunities.
After a year of pessimism and uncertainty, recent research conducted by Vistage and the Wall Street Journal reveals an increase in CEO optimism as we enter 2026. With this improving sentiment comes a variety of opportunities, and the world’s best CEOs are striking while the iron is hot.
The following are five of the most significant opportunities CEOs are seizing as we kick off a new year:
1. AI: the great equalizer
AI and its ability to improve productivity is the single greatest opportunity for small to midsize business leaders in 2026. This is one of the few areas where the largest companies don’t have a built-in advantage. Many artificial intelligence tools are available to all, making AI one of the greatest equalizers we’ve ever seen.
Most forward-thinking CEOs are asking, “How do we turn AI into something that is truly driving productivity and improving the customer experience?” They are now building processes that embed AI in how their teams work, rather than just experimenting with it on the side.
The leaders best positioned to pull ahead of their competitors in 2026 are the most disciplined about using AI strategically to innovate. They know exactly how AI is driving productivity, margin and capacity.
2. Proactively building a strong talent bench
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