CEO insights – What do CEOs talk about?
Welcome to CEO insights! Every quarter, we dissect earnings calls to uncover what top CEOs are discussing and presenting.
Step into the minds of global industry leaders and understand which tech topics are trending and what macro themes are seen as headwinds and tailwinds. Top level insights are available as part of our blog. For details, take a look at the in-depth report.
Quarterly CEO trend reports
Latest CEO analyses
What CEOs talked about in Q3 2025: Tariff realities, data center capacity, and the agentic AI future
In short According to IoT Analytics’ latest What CEOs Talked About report, tariffs and AI stood out as leading themes during earnings calls in Q3 2025, with discussions around data centers and agentic AI continuing to rise. A historical analysis shows that both geopolitical themes and digital themes have risen strongly in the last 5 years on the CEO agenda. The average mentions of leading...
What CEOs talked about in Q2 2025: Tariffs, possibility of recession, and agentic AI
In short According to IoT Analytics’ latest What CEOs Talked About report, 3 themes stood out in CEOs’ minds in Q2 2025: Tariffs, the possibility of recession, and agentic AI. Discussions about tariffs reached consecutive record highs in Q2 2025 as the US continued its trade wars with most of the world. Discussions around sustainability continued to decline, and general topics around AI...
How CEOs are reacting to tariffs: Pricing, financial guidance, and operational footprints
In short Many CEOs are making key decisions due to recent tariffs, according to IoT Analytics’ latest research note, The Evolving Tariff Landscape: Impact on the Economy and Businesses, which is based on an analysis of over 1,500 recent corporate earnings calls. Notably, 25% of companies updated their financial guidance due to tariffs, 19% announced price increases, and 18% are changing their...
What CEOs talked about in Q1 2025: Tariffs, rising uncertainty, and agentic AI
In short According to the latest What CEOs Talked About report, three themes stood out in CEOs’ minds in Q1 2025: Tariffs, uncertainty, and AI (with agentic AI seeing the most gains). Discussions about recruiting dropped as mentions of hiring freezes spiked. Why it matters The prioritization of specific topics by CEOs may influence investment in these areas. The big picture New administration’s...
What CEOs talked about in Q4 2024: Tariffs, reshoring, and agentic AI
In short According to the latest “What CEOs talked about” report, three themes gained noticeable traction in Q4 2024: 1) tariffs, 2) reshoring, and 3) agentic AI. Discussions regarding AI continued to decline; however, agentic AI significantly climbed in mentions. Despite recent catastrophic hurricanes, flooding, and winter storm events, sustainability-related topics declined in mentions...
What CEOs talked about in Q3 2024: Practical AI applications, renewable energy sources, and unpredictable IT outages
In short According to the latest “What CEOs talked about” report, four themes gained noticeable traction in Q3 2024: 1) practical AI applications, 2) renewable energy sources, 3) unpredictable IT outages, and 4) election-related topics. Discussions regarding AI slightly declined; however, there is a noticeable shift toward discussions about specific AI applications, such as process automation,...
Our Insights Are Trusted By
Our Expert
Philipp Wegner
Principal Analyst
Philipp is a principal analyst in our Hamburg, Germany office. He leads the data team, focusing on quantitive analyses, most notably surveys, market models, and analyses. His team also leads the Generative AI research.
Stay Up-to-Date With The Latest News & Updates
Access Premium Content
Gain access to our complete pool of insights and intelligence with a research subscription.
Join Our Newsletter
Be the first to know when we publish new insights and content.
Follow Us
Connect with us to gain access to exclusive updates from our team.