A quarterly report titled the Reputation Risk Index has identified the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) as the leading threat to brand reputation. The survey, which polled over 150 public affairs leaders, indicates that corporate executives are increasingly concerned about how AI integration could negatively impact public perception.

According to the findings, AI-related risks have surpassed other high-profile concerns, such as allegations regarding child safety and the reputational fallout associated with international geopolitical tensions, specifically the US-Israel-Iran conflict. The report highlights a shift in corporate priorities, as companies grapple with the rapid adoption of AI tools and the potential for these technologies to be used in ways that damage brand integrity.

While the survey focuses on the business perspective of reputational risk, it arrives during a period of broader public debate regarding AI. The report notes that these findings coincide with warnings from prominent technology figures who have cautioned that AI, if deployed without sufficient safeguards, could lead to severe outcomes, including large-scale existential threats. The data suggests that for public affairs leaders, the immediate challenge is managing the brand-specific consequences of AI misuse, even as the industry continues to weigh the technology's long-term societal implications.