The World Economic Forum’s latest Global Risks Report 2024 has highlighted risks associated with artificial intelligence (AI) among the most pressing challenges faced by people worldwide.
The most acute threat is misinformation and disinformation, driven by the potential misuse of AI to spread false narratives, according to a report published today by the non-governmental organisation.
Disinformation is a particular concern as more than 3 billion people heading to the polls in 2024 and 2025.
The organisation warned that the spread of misinformation has the potential to lead to civil unrest, government censorship, and controls on information flow.
In its latest risk report, based on a survey of nearly 1,500 experts, the World Economic Forum gave a pessimistic global outlook, flagging AI disinformation as a major global risk alongside the climate crisis and ongoing global conflicts.
Misinformation and disinformation were ranked by academics, businesses and governments as the most pressing concerns globally over the next two years, followed by extreme weather, social polarisation, and cyber insecurity.
More than half of respondents, 53%, said they believe AI-generated misinformation and disinformation are likely to present a 'material crisis on a global scale' in 2024.
“Foreign and domestic actors alike will leverage misinformation and disinformation to widen societal and political divides,” the report warned.