CFOs surveyed by Deloitte show a striking disconnect: while nearly a third believe the North American economy is weak, 90% are optimistic about their own company's prospects. This confidence is translating into action, with 59% willing to take calculated risks through debt and capital raising. However, attracting and retaining talent—especially in new AI-related roles—has emerged as their top concern, revealing the tension between ambition and resource constraints.
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A Deloitte survey of 200 CFOs from North American companies with at least $1 billion（約1600億円） in revenue found that 33% said the economy is bad (up from 5% in the first quarter), yet 90% said they are significantly or somewhat more optimistic about their company's future financial prospects. At the same time, 59% of CFOs think now is a good time to take calculated risks, up from 48% last quarter.
Why it matters
CFOs report growing confidence in their own ability to execute strategy and navigate challenges, suggesting they believe their companies can outperform a weakening broader economy. This shift reflects what Deloitte calls a "paradox of promise versus pessimism"—finance leaders are moving from reactive crisis management toward more calibrated confidence in their ability to deploy capital and pursue growth opportunities.
What to watch
Talent ranked as the top risk factor cited by 51% of CFOs, driven by challenges in hiring, retention, and upskilling. Finance functions are integrating new roles such as prompt engineers and AI specialists alongside traditional expertise, signaling that companies are rethinking their workforce mix to handle both AI deployment and the need for experienced professionals to validate outputs and manage risk.
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