For 2026, communications leaders are gaining ground as strategic C-suite advisors, with artificial intelligence being the next major credibility test for the function.
New research from Gravity Research, conducted in partnership with the Weber Shandwick Collective, examines Fortune 1000 communications sentiment on CEO confidence, board expectations, and readiness to navigate an increasingly volatile sociopolitical landscape. Drawing on proprietary survey data from a panel of over 200 senior communications and public affairs leaders, the report unpacks where confidence has improved — and where capability gaps persist as AI drives reputational risk.
Key Findings
The CEO–communications confidence gap is narrowing. 52% of communications chiefs report that CEO confidence in the function has increased over the past 12 months, while only 2% say it has declined. This growth trend reflects communicators’ rising confidence in preparing executives to communicate around geopolitical risk, regulatory pressure, and stakeholder activism.
AI is the weakest link in executive communications readiness. Only 44% of communicators say their CEO is highly capable of articulating AI transformation and its implications for the business — the lowest score across all issues tested. Communications leaders also report the lowest advisory confidence on AI, signaling a widening promise-reality gap around emerging technology.
Board expectations are rising faster than capabilities. 89% of respondents say boards have sustained or increased expectations for clearer articulation of how companies create value across stakeholders. This growing pressure underscores the need for communicators to move beyond messaging execution and into real-time strategic advisory roles.
Download the full report for an inside look at how communications leaders are navigating rising expectations, AI disruption, and shifting stakeholder dynamics in 2026.
Methodology
The 2026 Weber Shandwick Collective x Gravity Research Davos Survey was fielded between December 16, 2025, and January 9, 2026, among senior communications and public affairs executives at Fortune 1000 companies. Forty-three respondents completed the survey, reflecting senior-most leadership roles including vice president, senior vice president, executive vice president, and C-suite titles. Participants represent a range of industries and corporate functions, including communications, public affairs, government relations, sustainability, reputation, and risk management.
