Recent years have been marked by geopolitical tensions, cyberattacks, supply‑chain disruptions and sudden economic shifts — events that demonstrate how a known risk can quickly become a global business threat. Tensions around the Hormuz Strait, for example, can affect energy markets as well as shipping routes, procurement costs and supply chains.
What the EY survey found
An EY international survey of 1,200 risk-management leaders shows that companies increasingly face incidents whose impacts span multiple areas and continents. According to the study, artificial intelligence (AI) can analyze large volumes of data to identify warning signs earlier and reveal connections between domains that are not immediately obvious, helping firms respond sooner.
However, most companies have not yet embedded AI into their decision-making: many are still experimenting and primarily employ the technology to improve efficiency.
Leadership perspective and expectations
The research also highlights a clear divide between organizations that treat risk management as part of strategic decision-making and those that consider it a traditional support function. Seventy percent of leaders in the first group expect AI to fundamentally reshape risk management, compared with 40 percent among companies that keep risk management in a supporting role.
Molnár Péter, head of EY’s business consulting area, said executives can no longer rely on reviewing risks only a few times a year: “In continuously changing situations they must identify risks and make appropriate decisions. Artificial intelligence can help detect warning signs earlier and better understand the likely effects of interconnected events.”
A concrete example: early warning and competitive advantage
Erik Slooten, partner at EY AI Confidence, noted that many firms use AI mainly to complete the same tasks faster, whereas the greatest value may lie elsewhere. He cited a case in which an AI-agent-based system used by a leading European automaker anticipated the likely effects of a helium shortage caused by a closure in the Hormuz Strait. Such early warnings can prevent millions in losses and provide significant competitive advantage.
Conclusion
EY’s survey indicates that AI could be a valuable tool in a complex, fast‑moving risk environment by surfacing early warning signals and exposing cross‑domain linkages. Yet most surveyed companies remain in an experimental phase and have not yet integrated AI strategically into their risk‑decision processes.
