Artificial intelligence. A strategic reality that must be managed
2026-01-03 | Expert opinion
Does artificial intelligence (AI) drive your business efficiency and competitive advantage? Undoubtedly. However, as AI adoption accelerates and its integration into core business operations deepens, the nature and scale of cyber risks are growing exponentially alongside it. By 2026, AI is already identified globally as the second most significant business risk, surpassed only by direct cyber incidents.
According to the Allianz Risk Barometer 2026, artificial intelligence has surged to the top tier of global business risks, ranking 2nd in 2026 (32%), compared to 10th place in 2025—the largest year-on-year increase in this year’s ranking. This sends a clear signal: AI is no longer merely a technological innovation; it has become a matter of strategic accountability and executive-level risk management.
International insurers emphasize that the best-protected companies are those that successfully combine three elements: prevention, financial protection, and rapid recovery.
Five concrete steps CEOs should not ignore
- Elevate cyber and AI risk to the board agenda
Insurers note that the greatest losses occur when decisions are made too late or when accountability is unclear. Cyber and AI risk must be treated as a business issue, not merely an IT function.
- Understand what your insurance does not actually cover
Many companies mistakenly believe that cyber risk is covered by general liability or property insurance. In practice:
- AI-related errors,
- data breaches,
-
business interruption caused by cyber incidents
are often excluded from traditional policies. Conducting an insurance gap analysis is therefore essential.
- Assess third-party and supply chain risk
Insurers’ data shows that an increasing share of losses stems not from a company’s own systems, but from vulnerabilities at partners, IT service providers, or cloud platforms.
CEOs should ensure that:
- contracts clearly define liability limits,
- vendors’ cyber maturity is assessed,
- cyber insurance covers supply chain disruptions.
- Invest not only in protection, but also in recovery
From an insurer’s perspective, the critical question after an incident is how quickly the company can resume operations. Effective measures include:
- incident response plans,
- pre-arranged agreements with IT, legal, and communications experts,
- cyber insurance covering incident management, digital forensics, PR, and legal costs.
- Seek support before it is too late
Global insurers stress that the largest losses occur in companies that seek help only after an incident has occurred. CEOs should proactively collaborate with:
- insurance brokers specializing in cyber risks,
- risk management consultants,
- legal and IT security partners
to ensure solutions are prepared in advance, not during a crisis.
So where to find practical support?
- Insurance brokers offering specialized cyber risk solutions;
- Risk consulting programs provided by international insurers;
- Incident response and cyber forensics partners;
- Board-level training on AI and cyber risks.
The insurers’ core message to business CEOs
Cyber and AI risk is now an unavoidable condition of doing business. The most important question is not whether an incident will occur, but how well prepared the organization is to face it.
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