Digitization boosts business resilience amid continued challengesA positive outlook, new challenges and the value of digital toolsIn a word, AECO leaders and experts this year are optimistic.While they continue to face significant challenges, the past few years have proven how resilient their organizations are. As a result, they feel far more confident than they did last year in their companies’ ability to tackle challenges effectively. Talent took the top spot last year among business challenges, with organizations struggling with both talent acquisition and retention. This year, cost control outweighs labor concerns, followed by product and service innovation and environmental sustainability.Keeping up with the rapid pace of technological change—including artificial intelligence—is another important challenge, but one that presents significant opportunity for companies able to make strategic investments.Professionals report an array of benefits from digital investments, but they also say that costs, a lack of time, and skills gaps all present barriers to their digital transformation efforts.Optimism is returning