Employers urged to keep humans in charge of risk verification
Employers are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to verify risk information, but HR and business leaders are being warned not to rely on the technology alone as misinformation and deepfakes create new risks for employees.
Research from International SOS found that almost 60% of senior decision-makers believe AI’s greatest value is in verifying or validating information from multiple sources, as employers face growing pressure to respond quickly to health, safety and security threats.
The Risk Outlook 2026 Pulse Check, which surveyed almost 300 senior decision-makers across 53 countries, also found that more than four in 10 (42%) organisations have either been affected by false, misleading or unverified information, or lack sufficient visibility to understand its impact.
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Respondents said fake signals, synthetic content and targeted impersonation were creating operational uncertainty and making it harder for employers to protect employees during rapidly evolving situations.
International SOS said the findings underlined the importance of keeping human judgment at the centre of decision-making, particularly where employee health, wellbeing and security were concerned.
Cvete Koneska, global security director at International SOS, said: “While AI can help surface, synthesise and prioritise information at speed, verification remains a high-stakes task where careful human judgment remains indispensable, particularly when decisions can impact people’s health, safety and security.
“Misplaced reliance on AI at this stage can amplify misinformation risks and delay critical decisions rather than improve them. The most prudent approach is a human-led model of integrating AI into risk management.”
The research also highlighted an emerging threat from AI-generated deepfakes. Irene Lai, global medical director at International SOS, warned that convincing fake videos of healthcare professionals giving false advice during disease outbreaks could become “the new frontier of biowarfare”.
The findings suggest many employers may also need to strengthen their crisis response processes. Only one in 10 (10%) organisations said they could respond “very quickly” to emerging risks, while one in five (20%) admitted they were “not quick to respond at all”.
Employers also reported significant gaps in risk governance. Nearly one in five (17%) respondents said they were unclear about what happened once new risks emerge, a quarter (25%) lacked clarity over escalation triggers, and only around one in five said they were very clear about how global and local responses should align.
International SOS warned that unclear decision-making could lead to duplicated effort, inconsistent responses and increased pressure on employees during crises, heightening the risk of burnout.
For HR teams, the findings reinforced the need for clear governance, robust communication channels and employee wellbeing support as organisations increasingly incorporate AI into their risk management strategies.
James Wood, security director for Northern Europe at International SOS, said: “The biggest barriers are not about awareness of risk, but at the point of decision. Organisations are often structured for stability, not volatility. That slows action when speed matters most.”
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