U.S. business economists are increasingly optimistic about economic prospects, with 56% expecting higher sales in the next three months and recession fears easing, according to a new survey from the National Association for Business Economics (NABE).
Capital spending remains strong, especially on artificial intelligence (AI), with 33% reporting increased investment — the highest share since July 2024.
Nearly three out of five respondents (73%) said they believe AI will boost their company’s productivity this year, the NABE said.
Thirty-five percent of companies have adopted AI for moderate use in certain functions or teams, 15% report widespread use and 48% deploy AI in pilot projects, proof of concept experiments or other limited uses. See more findings.