Artificial intelligence (AI) has well and truly developed into one of most concerning risks for companies. The Allianz Risk Barometer 2026, for which 3,338 respondents from 97 countries and territories were surveyed, shows a clear shift in prevailing attitudes and risk perception. It reveals that AI has climbed to an all-time high ranking of second place among global risks, up from 10th the previous year, making the largest jump of any risk in this year’s ranking.
From future concern to operative risk
Only a few years ago, AI was viewed mainly as a driver of innovation and efficiency. The 2026 report is the first to show that AI is now perceived as a complex, independent risk category. Companies are increasingly finding themselves confronted with the practical, real-world impacts of the widespread introduction of generative and agentic AI – from automated decision-making right through to AI-powered business processes.
The report also reveals that AI is no longer only an issue for tech companies. It now features among the top three risks across all sectors for large and mid-sized firms.
Major categories of AI risk
According to the Allianz Risk Barometer 2026, the concerns of companies are mostly concentrated around three categories of AI risk:
- Operational risks: The malfunctioning of AI systems, poor data quality or inadequate integration may lead to business interruption – especially if AI is deeply embedded in core processes.
- Legal and compliance risks: The main focus here is on new liability issues resulting from harmful AI outcomes, a lack of clarity when it comes to automated decision-making and uncertainty on how to handle copyright and data privacy matters. The introduction of the EU AI Act has intensified the pressure.
- Reputational risks due to misinformation: Generative AI has lowered the threshold for creating deep-fakes, running automated disinformation campaigns and manipulating content. Companies are concerned about damage to brand trust, the stability of markets and the political climate.
Between compelling value proposition and uncertainty
Despite the increased perception of risks, however, the prevailing attitude towards AI is far from pessimistic. Around 44% of Allianz Risk Barometer respondents believe AI is bringing more benefits to their industries than risks, while only 19% see the risks outweighing benefits. A quarter responded that they “Don’t know yet”, indicating that many organizations are still in a phase of discovery, learning and experimentation.
At the same time, the survey reveals a gap between the aspired benefits and reality. Many companies have been testing AI in pilot projects, but few have actually gone on to scale them company-wide. This in itself generates new risks, including growing expectations, high investment and lack of clarity on the real benefits AI will deliver.
Governance, skills and resilience key to success
Organizations are mainly addressing the impact of automation technologies by investing in the education, retraining and upskilling of staff, setting up robust governance, oversight and management frameworks as well as developing contingency and incident-response plans for AI-related failures or misuse.
The Allianz Risk Barometer delivers a stark message: 2026 is set to mark a turning point where AI transitions from the experimentation and discovery phase toward becoming an essential part of business-critical infrastructure. Along with boosting the strategic value of AI to companies, this will also heighten the need for appropriate risk management and controlling measures.
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