Digital transformation is at the top of the agenda for companies

Key topics such as cybercrime, automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and the expansion of digital skills within the workforce are at the top of the corporate agenda, while activities related to geopolitics and ESG are losing relevance. This is shown by the Future Readiness Monitor 2025 by KPMG in Germany. For the study, 570 executives from 19 industries were surveyed. The focus is on ten central future topics, with assessments of their relevance to the company, the maturity level of previous implementation, and the investment priority for the next three years.

“Cybersecurity, AI, automation - the priorities in companies are clearly set. Now it is important for companies to direct their investments specifically where they still lack substance. And these are not just technologies, but also structures and skills. The biggest lever lies in implementation,” explains Dr. Ladislava Klein, CMO of KPMG in Germany.

Trends in companies

Combating cybercrime will also be at the top of the top trends in 2025. 94 percent of respondents rate the topic as highly relevant. Despite an increased level of maturity - 81 percent say they are well positioned - the willingness to invest remains high: 78 percent want to invest more in this area over the next three years.

The automation of business processes and the use of AI for innovations have also gained significant importance. However, implementation is lagging behind: only around 44 percent of companies feel adequately positioned on these topics. Investment plans are correspondingly high - around 70 percent are focusing on this area.

A similar picture emerges in workforce transformation: eight out of ten companies want to expand digital skills and prepare their workforce for technological change. However, the current level of maturity is often considered insufficient. Digitalization is therefore no longer a future topic - but a concrete call to action.

The trend is different for agility: two-thirds of companies rate themselves as already well positioned here, and the willingness to invest is also decreasing - only 61 percent plan to continue financially promoting agility in the future.

Risk areas fall out of focus

Strategic risks such as regulatory requirements, geopolitical tensions, and ESG are losing urgency compared to the last survey. While companies still recognize the relevance, they prioritize these topics less frequently on their investment agenda. Thus, the investment priority for regulation and governance is only 33 percent, and for geopolitical risks, it is 35 percent.

The maturity level, on the other hand, has increased significantly: 66 percent of companies now consider themselves well-positioned in regulation and governance - an increase of 18 percentage points compared to 2024. There was also an improvement in the maturity level in considering ESG in investments, from 57 to 68 percent. The figures suggest that many companies have already established fundamental structures and are now less frequently pushing for further expansion. Dealing with geopolitical tensions remains challenging: despite comparatively high relevance, implementation and investment readiness do not keep pace. The average maturity level is 59 percent, but there are significant differences between industries.

Optimistic outlook for the future

The assessment of their own future remains overall positive despite difficult conditions. 71 percent of the executives surveyed are optimistic about the next three years. This optimism has slightly decreased compared to the previous year (-5 percentage points) but remains at a high level.

The differences between industries are striking: decision-makers in the insurance industry are particularly optimistic - 56 percent of them rate their company's future prospects as very positive. The technology sector is also well above average at 44 percent. The outlook in the automotive industry is more reserved: only 13 percent express themselves as very optimistic here. Media companies and the asset management sector also show restrained expectations, each with around 20 percent.