The 2026 Crisis, Emergency, and Risk Communication Trends Report
Discover how 100+ global crisis leaders are navigating the rise of AI-driven misinformation and the decline of public trust.
Get the data-backed insights you need to bridge your team’s skill gaps and modernise your 2026 crisis protocols.
Raw Insights: What Keeps Crisis Leaders Up at Night?
From a Global Head of External Communications:
"My biggest concern is managing the accelerating impact of AI-driven misinformation, deepfakes, and rapidly spreading disinformation... preserving public trust and ensuring accuracy under pressure."
From a Senior PR Lead in the Aviation Industry:
"Not using this moment to learn, review and test plans before the next crisis hits meaning that panic will ensue and we’ll have to start from scratch (again)."
From a Government Strategic Communications Director:
"Populist politicians... seriously undermine trust in government institutions and science-based policies, OR the populists get into government and abandon science-based policy making altogether."
Benchmark your organisation against 100+ global crisis leaders.
As public trust becomes harder to maintain and AI technology outpaces organisational policy, staying ahead of the crisis landscape is no longer optional; it is a strategic necessity.
Based on a comprehensive survey of 102 crisis experts (nearly half of whom possess over 15 years of experience), this report provides an unfiltered look at the challenges and opportunities defining our profession in 2026.
Inside the full report, you will discover:
- The Trust Gap: Why 65.7% of practitioners agree that building public trust is significantly harder today than five years ago. List item two
- The AI Reality Check: The #1 barrier to AI adoption (it isn't just budget) and the critical skill gaps your team likely faces.
- The Preparedness Paradox: Why 10% of organisations never test their crisis plans and how the most resilient teams are leveraging simulations.
- Emerging Threats: Expert rankings of the risks posed by deepfakes, disinformation, and compound crises over the next 3 years.