Survey of over 100 top global leaders finds misuse of AI and links to Musk are top reputation threats in 2025
Washington, D.C., April 15, 2025 – New Reputation Risk Index™ (the Index) data suggests companies should proceed with more caution in adopting artificial intelligence. The report includes the views of over 100 preeminent public affairs leaders, including former heads of state and current CEOs on the Global Risk Advisory Council (the Council). Association with billionaire Elon Musk was also a top concern on the Index, which includes analysis of the most negative news coverage around the world during the first quarter of 2025. Avenida Advisors Founder Isabel Guzman, who chairs the Council and previously served as the Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) knows these turbulent times require executives to monitor emerging issues more closely.
“Too often companies make decisions without fully accounting for rapidly changing social, political, and consumer realities,” Guzman remarked. “The Index provides a clear picture of the extremely challenging marketplace and communications environment in which companies and brands currently operate. Understanding and adapting to these conditions will increasingly be critical in the coming years.”
Perceived backtracking on diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments was the third top risk for brands. This comes as the Trump Administration continues to aggressively pursue not only universities, but also private firms for the implementation of such programs. Some of the other issues topping the Index, from allegations of anticompetitive practices to price fixing, suggest that the media and top public affairs leaders are hyper-focused on corporate practices during this period of pronounced economic volatility. The head of the Global Situation Room (GSR), which commissioned the report, said bowing to political pressure in the short term may prove to be costly.
“The Index has an unambiguous warning for CEOs: If you squander stakeholder and consumer goodwill on these issues, it won’t be coming back anytime soon,” commented GSR President Brett Bruen. “My advice to them is, ‘Slow down. Make a distinction between transitory and tectonic transitions.”
The Reputation Risk Index is a new, quarterly barometer of emerging and evolving reputational threats to companies and organizations from Global Situation Room, Inc. It combines data gathering and analysis from GSR’s team of crisis experts and is informed by a survey of preeminent public affairs leaders and former heads of state who make up the Council. PRWeek’s Executive Editor Frank Washkuch will lead a live webinar discussion on the Index at 11:30 AM EST on April 15, 2025. Registration for the event and the full findings are available at www.ReputationRisk.org.
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Global Situation Room® (GSR), Inc. is an elite, full-service public relations firm offering our clients sophisticated solutions for their most Complex Communications® challenges. Core practices include cutting-edge counter-crisis management strategies, thought leadership that pushes the paradigm of possible, and global campaigns that connect across cultures. Its award-winning content creation division has produced some of the most popular podcasts in the world. Clients include Fortune 500 companies, celebrities, and leading foundations. The agency has distinguished itself by ensuring clients are able to not only survive but thrive amidst the regularity of today’s risks, drive the debate on key issues, and effectively engage on global and local levels. GSR has prominently placed clients on every major national and international media outlet, helped them navigate through their most complex crises, and gained strong, sustainable support for their brand within the most influential circles around the world.
