The world is entering a period of heightened volatility. Economic pressure between countries is increasing, and risks associated with artificial intelligence are growing faster than expected. This conclusion comes from a new report on global threats presented at the World Economic Forum (WEF).
The sentiment assessment looks alarming. Half of the executives and experts surveyed expect tough times within the next two years. Only 1% believe stability will be maintained.
The Economy Becomes a Weapon
The main short-term threat, according to the report’s authors, is geoeconomic confrontation. This refers to the use of tariffs, trade restrictions, regulation, and investment controls as tools of pressure.
Essentially, money and trade are increasingly becoming part of political conflict. Such tactics can significantly reduce global trade and increase market instability.
World Economic Forum COO Saadia Zahidi notes that concerns are mounting amid the risk of recession, rising inflation, and asset bubbles. All this is happening with high debt burdens and volatile markets.
According to her, countries are entering a phase where economic decisions are increasingly dictated by geopolitics.
The World Lives in a State of ‘Multiple Crises’
Insurance group Marsh, the world’s largest insurance broker, contributed to the report. Its head, John Doyle, told CNBC that the world is not facing a single catastrophe but is living under overlapping crises.
He described the situation as a ‘polit-crisis moment.’ Companies are simultaneously dealing with trade conflicts, social tension, technological shifts, and extreme weather. Managing such risks is becoming increasingly difficult.
Disinformation and Societal Division
The second place among short-term threats went to the spread of false information. This applies to both digital platforms and traditional channels. In third place is growing social stratification.
On the ten-year horizon, inequality remains the key connecting problem. According to the authors, it amplifies other risks and undermines countries’ ability to respond jointly to economic shocks.
Growth of AI-Related Risks
The fastest growth in the rankings was shown by threats related to artificial intelligence. Just a year ago, they were only in 30th place. Now, they are already sixth among long-term risks.
The report’s authors warn: mass automation could lead to job losses and a widening income gap. As a result, a vicious cycle emerges—public discontent, decreased consumption, and increased social tension. And this is happening against the backdrop of a sharp rise in business productivity.
Special attention is given to the combination of machine learning and quantum computing. The pace of development of these technologies is accelerating, and human control may weaken. The report directly mentions the risk of situations where technologies begin to get out of control.
Extreme Weather Remains the Decade’s Top Risk
Despite the growing focus on AI and economic conflicts, climate remains the long-term leader on the list. Extreme heat, droughts, fires, and other weather anomalies are expected to occur more frequently and become more intense.
Insurance companies are estimated to pay out about $107 billion for natural disaster damages in 2025. This is the sixth year in a row that losses have exceeded $100 billion—a sharp contrast to the early 2000s.
Doyle cited the example of wildfires in California at the beginning of 2025. He noted that insurance rates and building codes should more accurately reflect real risks, and new technologies should help reduce them.
Global Threat Priorities Are Changing
An interesting detail in the report is the declining attention to environmental topics such as pollution, species extinction, and irreversible changes in natural systems. This does not mean the problems have disappeared. Rather, the agenda has shifted to those threats that leaders consider more urgent.
The authors emphasize: the world is thinking less in terms of a single problem and more in terms of interconnected crises.
The Solution Lies in Coalitions
The report’s conclusion emphasizes cooperation. ‘Coalitions of the willing’ are the key tool in the current environment. Governments, businesses, scientific institutions, and society must act together to reduce risks and find practical solutions.
The year 2026 is marked by economic conflicts and technological shifts. Money is becoming a weapon, AI is a source of both growth and instability, and climate risks are not going anywhere. The world is entering an era of complex, interconnected threats where solo solutions no longer work.
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