Reputation Risk Index™: Past Reports & Resources

AI misuse topped the reputational risk rankings in Q1 2026. AI is no longer treated as a discrete technical glitch but as a systemic risk multiplier that intensifies every other threat category. With regulation failing to keep pace, harmful applications—biased decision-making, AI-generated misinformation, deepfake impersonation—are now woven into the fabric of corporate and political life.

2026 has forced a reckoning in philanthropy. The sector can no longer coast on the assumption that it is simply "doing good." Serious lapses in judgment—including institutions and individuals who cultivated relationships with problematic donors like Jeffrey Epstein—have eroded public confidence, and philanthropy is increasingly viewed as asserting privilege rather than driving impact.

Council members see a fundamental shift in how the public perceive charitable organizations. A majority (52%) believe the sector conceded too much ground under political pressure this quarter, compared with 41% who felt its response was appropriate. And 87% say philanthropy fails to adequately communicate the value of its work—pointing to a clear reputational opportunity the sector has yet to seize.

The Q4 2025 Reputation Risk Index covers a transformative period in which rapid technological advancement and political volatility have made traditional risk management approaches obsolete.

As identified by members of the Global Risk Advisory Council, the misuse of artificial intelligence has emerged as the primary reputational threat, acting as a systemic force that exacerbates issues ranging from fraud to public health misinformation.

This report also examines other top risks plaguing companies, from political targeting to data privacy violations. It also highlights the global health sector's challenges, defined by declining public trust and supply chain vulnerabilities.

At a time of unprecedented political polarization, the latest Index reveals a clear consensus that the greatest threat to corporate reputation concerns the whims of one man: U.S. President Donald Trump.

While disinformation topped the Q2 report, it was notably absent from this quarter's report. Issues relating to the proliferation of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) remain top-of-mind, with data privacy, IP infringement, and antitrust all charting in the top 10 for Q3.

In response to our Q3 survey, members of our Global Risk Advisory Council highlighted that AI-driven risks operate fundamentally differently from traditional technology threats. Unlike conventional challenges, AI-enabled attacks can inflict maximum damage in a hyper-accelerated timeframe. When asked to rank the most concerning risks associated with the proliferation of AI systems, members of the Council cited the technology’s ability to spread false information at scale as the top risk.

At a time of unprecedented transatlantic trade tensions, a new Global Risk Advisory Council survey reveals a growing gap in the reputational risks companies are facing on either side of the Atlantic.

The Q2 Reputation Risk Index shows the top threat confronting companies is disinformation, driven in many cases by polarized political agendas that are increasingly ensnaring the private sector.

Yet, the Council of over 100 preeminent public affairs leaders finds European firms are more vulnerable to perceived deviation from social responsibilities like climate and anticompetitiveness.

In the United States, political issues like association with Elon Musk and DEI backtracking continued to top the Index.

Recent reputational risks rated as the most severe were AI misuse, association with or criticism from Elon Musk and DEI backtracking.

86% believe reputational risks will increase over the next quarter (rating of 6+ on a scale from 1-10, with 1 being a significant decrease and 10 being a significant increase in risk).

In the coming months, Council experts from around the world will be monitoring reputational risks related to technology, DEI programs, and geopolitical uncertainties, specifically the shift from traditional U.S. policies and approaches from the Trump administration.