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AI tech fast growing as a risk factor in global report

Adverse outcomes of AI technologies is one of the risks that climbs the most in a 10-year risk ranking. Generative AI  can produce false or misleading content at scale leading to societal polarisation. There are broader risks from greater connectivity, rapid growth in computing power and more powerful AI tools, World Economic Forum’s risk report for 2025 shows.

A majority of respondents (52%) anticipate an unsettled global outlook over the short term (next two years), a similar proportion to last year. Another 31% expect turbulence and 5% a stormy outlook. All together shows a combined four percentage point risk increase from last year, indicating a heightened pessimistic outlook for the world to 2027.

Compared to a two-year outlook, the landscape deteriorates over the 10-year timeframe, with 62% of respondents expecting stormy or turbulent times. This long-term outlook has remained similar to the survey results last year.

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The risk of further destabilising consequences following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as in the Middle East and in Sudan are likely to be amplifying respondents’ concerns beyond 2025 as well. In the two-year outlook, State-based armed conflict has moved up since 2023-24.

The role of technology in geopolitical tensions also concerns respondents, the report says. However, the top risk in 2027 is misinformation and disinformation, for the second year in a row.

“There are many ways in which a proliferation of false or misleading content is complicating the geopolitical environment. It is a leading mechanism for foreign entities to affect voter intentions; it can sow doubt among the general public worldwide about what is happening in conflict zones; or it can be used to tarnish the image of products or services from another country.”

“Societal fractures are central to the overall risks landscape. Inequality (wealth, income) is perceived as the most central risk of all, playing a significant role in both triggering and being influenced by other risks. It is contributing to weakening trust and diminishing our collective sense of shared values.”

Respondent concern around certain key economic risks – Economic downturn and Inflation – has subsided since last year, with these two risks witnessing the largest falls in the two-year ranking.

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Among the areas experiencing the most rapid technological advances is the biotech sector. Over a 10-year time horizon, high-impact risks exist, including Intrastate violence from biological terrorism and adverse outcomes of frontier technologies involving accidental or malicious misuse of gene editing technologies, or even of brain-computer interfaces. At the same time, such risks do not diminish the tremendous actual and potential progress for humankind stemming from biotech. 

“In a year that has seen considerable experimentation by companies and individuals in making the best use of AI tools, concerns about adverse outcomes of AI technologies are low in the risk ranking on a two year outlook. However, complacency around the risks of such technologies should be avoided given the fast-paced nature of change in the field of AI and its increasing ubiquity.”

The report highlights how AI models are a factor in the relationship between technology and polarisation. 

“Technology and polarisation explores the risks for citizens resulting from the combination of greater connectivity, rapid growth in computing power, and more powerful AI models” the report says, highlighting the role of AI in accelerating developments in this field, for both good and bad. 

Respondents also express unease over cyber espionage and warfare, the report says. 71% of Chief Risk Officers express concern about the impact of cyber risk and criminal activity (money laundering, cybercrime etc.) severely impacting their organisations. 

“The rising likelihood of threat actor activity and more sophisticated technological disruption were noted as particular concerns.”

Elevated cyber risk perceptions are one aspect of a broader environment of heightened geopolitical and geoeconomic tensions, the report says.

“The risk of further destabilising consequences in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Sudan are likely to be amplifying respondents’ concerns.”

“The decade ahead will be pivotal as leaders will be confronted with increasingly complex global risks. But to prevent a downward spiral in which citizens worldwide will be worse off than before, ultimately there is no option other than to find avenues for dialogue and collaboration.”

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