Robert Half, a global talent solutions consultancy, has just released a study revealing how emerging technologies will profoundly transform senior management by 2035. The survey shows that tools such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), intelligent automation, 6G connectivity, and new cybersecurity solutions will not only support but will take over critical executive leadership functions, altering the role of managers in strategic decision-making. According to
the study, 84% of the executives interviewed point to cybersecurity as the main driver of change, followed by Artificial General Intelligence (81%), robotic process automation (78%), and 6G connectivity (77%). The research also indicates that areas such as financial management, forecasting, product innovation, and even the definition of business strategies will be increasingly driven by technological disruptions.
“We are living through a countdown to a new era of corporate management. Executive functions, previously marked by human judgment and accumulated experience, will increasingly rely on intelligent systems that offer unparalleled speed, precision, and scale. This does not diminish the role of leadership, but it demands aptitude for directing strategies in an environment of high technological complexity,” advises Maria Sartori, market director at Robert Half.
TOP 10 technologies that will shape executive leadership by 2035:
- Cybersecurity and new network solutions (84%)
- Artificial Intelligence (AGI) (81%)
- Robotic process automation (78%)
- 6G connectivity (77%)
- Augmented reality and virtual reality (77%)
- Machine learning (75%)
- Intelligent process automation (74%)
- Quantum computing (72%)
- Blockchain and decentralized technologies (69%)
- Biotechnology and genetic engineering (69%)
Functions in which AI will play a central role by 2035
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – AI will fully take over: 1) Performance measurement and reporting
2) Strategic decision-making
3) Financial management, forecasting, and reporting
4) Insights and personalization for customers
5) Workforce productivity management
AI will support: 1) Workforce development and reskilling
2) Talent acquisition and workforce planning
3) Supply chain and operational optimization
4) Employee engagement and retention strategies 5) Risk management, regulation, and compliance - Large companies – AI will fully take over: 1) Innovation and product development
2) Risk management, regulation, and compliance
3) Scenario planning and simulations
4) Workforce productivity management
5) Supply chain and operational optimization
AI will support: 1) Talent acquisition and workforce planning
2) Performance measurement and reporting
3) Employee engagement and retention strategies
4) Workforce productivity management
5) Financial management, forecasting, and reporting
“This is a moment of opportunity for executives who know how to anticipate. Despite this disruption, leaders will not be replaced, but they will have to develop new skills, that's a fact. To lead this transformation, investing in retraining, new digital skills, and an adaptive vision is essential,” adds Sartori.
Methodology The research was conducted with 100 Brazilian executives – including board members, senior management, and middle management – and 100 private equity investors from Europe and the United States, providing an integrated view of the direction of business leadership in the next ten years.
