Misuse of artificial intelligence ranked as the leading perceived threat to companies’ reputations in the latest quarterly Reputation Risk Index, according to a report published by The Guardian on 6 October 2026. The index reflects the views of a selected panel of public affairs leaders; it does not measure actual brand losses or represent customers’ opinions.
What the Reputation Risk Index ranked highest
AI misuse took the top position in the latest edition. The Guardian says it ranked ahead of concerns about harm to children, sensitive personal information, unethical or illegal conduct for advantage or profit, and poor strategic or operational decisions.
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| Reported rank | Concern |
|---|---|
| 1 | Misuse of artificial intelligence |
| 2 | Putting children at risk of mental, emotional, or physical harm |
| 3 | Infringing on individuals’ sensitive information |
| 4 | Unethical or illegal behavior to gain strategic advantage or profit |
| 5 | Poor strategic or operational decisions that reduce financial or public standing |
The Guardian’s account gives the order of these concerns, but no vote shares or severity scores. It therefore shows which issues the panel ranked highest, not how far apart the concerns were.
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Respondents reportedly saw AI’s potential to improve organizational efficiency alongside risks involving safety and data, hacking, fraud, privacy protections, workforce disruption, and litigation connecting AI products to real-world harm. The report does not give separate rankings or counts for these AI-related risks.
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These are possible routes to reputational damage, not evidence that a particular company has caused harm or suffered a loss. The index measures perceived risk; it does not establish how common harmful AI use is or predict how customers and investors will behave.
Who took part—and what the result represents
The Guardian reports that more than 150 public affairs leaders contributed to the index. Its participants are described as former heads of state, government ministers, CEOs, and senior executives from more than 20 countries across five continents, invited for their experience responding to crises. The publisher, the Global Risk Advisory Council, describes the index as a quarterly barometer combining crisis expertise with analysis from public affairs leaders; it says the index was created with Washington, DC-based public affairs firm Global Situation Room. Its overview is at Global Situation Room’s Reputation Risk Index page.
This is a selected expert panel, not a representative poll of consumers or the general public. Its ranking indicates what these participants regard as a reputational threat, not what customers necessarily fear or what has already damaged a brand.
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Why AI is back at the top
AI misuse has repeatedly appeared as a leading concern since the index’s first edition in April 2025, The Guardian reports. In the July 2026 edition, supply-chain issues, divisive political stances, and other factors associated with the US-Israel war on Iran had ranked highest; concern about those geopolitical issues eased in the latest edition.
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Isabel Casillas Guzman, chair of the Global Risk Advisory Council, said: “As AI is rapidly deployed for productivity gains, we have also seen diminishing public trust in the technology, elevating the need for businesses to take measures to protect their brands.” That is the chair’s explanation and advice, not independent proof that a particular safeguard works. The council’s accompanying guidance urged business leaders to “take immediate and decisive action to mitigate potential long-term brand damage.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the ranking cannot tell businesses or readers
The available reporting does not include the latest questionnaire, field dates, weighting, response scale, detailed scoring, or calculation used to produce the ranking. It also gives no exact response count beyond “more than 150.” Without those details, readers cannot independently assess how the result was generated or compare the strength of each concern.
The finding is best read as a warning about expert perceptions of exposure: panel members see AI misuse as a prominent reputational risk amid rapid adoption. It is not a measure of realized financial or public damage, a forecast of future losses, or proof that AI-related incidents are more widespread than other forms of corporate misconduct.
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