Gravity x Weber Shandwick Report

Weber Shandwick Collective & Gravity Research

Survey of Fortune 1000 Communications Leaders January 2026

WHAT TO KNOW

The CEO-communications

1

The confidence gap narrows. The confidence gap between CEOs and their communications advisors is narrowing. Last year,

confidence gap is closing—

we found just 17% of executives were “confident or very confident” in the ability of the communications and public affairs

but AI is the new flashpoint

function to manage an ecosystem of volatility and rapid change.

Today, 52% of communications chiefs say their CEO's confidence in the function has grown over the past 12 months, while only 2%

THE SITUATION

report decreased confidence.

Last year, Weber Shandwick research revealed a troubling confidence gap: CEOs expressed significant concerns about whether their communications teams could keep pace with the complexity and velocity of change.

This year, new research commissioned in partnership with Gravity Research suggests that the story has shifted. The confidence gap is closing, and the directional change is unmistakable. Here's what's driving the shift—and what it means for the future of

2

CCOs have gained ground in managing external forces, including geopolitics, stakeholder activism and regulatory concerns. Roughly half of chief communicators report high confidence responding to stakeholder activism (53%), managing geopolitical risks (49%), and addressing regulatory pressures (49%). When including moderate confidence, 86-91% feel equipped to advise across these domains. This suggests communications teams have built broad strategic advisory capability—not just tactical execution skills.

the profession. © GRAVITY RESEARCH

2

WHAT TO KNOW

3

External affairs challenges around AI transformation

5

CCOs recognize AI's impact on their work—but struggle to

have emerged, expanded. AI transformation stands out as

translate it into enterprise advisory. Communications chiefs

the domain where executives openly acknowledge

report that AI will have its most significant impact on employee

capability gaps. Only 44% of communicators say CEOs

engagement (74%) and corporate storytelling and media relations

demonstrate high ability articulating AI transformation and

(70%)—core domains of their work. This suggests they're not AI

its implications for the company, ranking it lowest among all

skeptics but pragmatic adopters who understand how the

challenges measured. Meanwhile, only 35% of

technology reshapes stakeholder communication, message

communications chiefs report high confidence advising on

delivery, and engagement strategies.

AI transformation and messaging—also the lowest advisory confidence score across all domains.

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Amid transformation challenges, board pressures continue to rise. Boards are demanding their CEOs go on offense, with 89% of communicators reporting that boards have sustained or raised expectations for clearer

BECOME A GRAVITY INSIDER Share your perspective and gain peer-driven insights. Join our network of senior communications and public affairs executives exploring insights and strategies for managing today’s reputational pressure points.

articulation of how the company creates value across stakeholders over an 18-24 month horizon – a further

Contact insiders@gravityresearch.com to learn more.

increase after last year’s 79% surge, according to CEOs.

© GRAVITY RESEARCH

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C E O C ON F ID E N C E GA P

CCOs say the CEO ‘confidence gap’ is down, while board demands for fluency are rising

S L IM C ON F ID E N C E S P L IT B E T WE E N C E O A N D C C O

C E O C ON F ID E N C E —A N D B OA R D E X P E C T A T ION S —A R E GR OWIN G

Share of executives on how equipped their company’s comms and public affairs function is to keep pace with rapid change

Share of executives on how CEO’s confidence in comms and public affairs to keep pace with rapid change has changed in the last 12 months

Very equipped

Somewhat equipped

Decreased

No change

Increased

91% 80%

63

72

An 11-percentage point gap sits between CEOs’ and CCOs’ perception of their comms and public affairs agility— a modest, yet notable split in a time of imperative comms synchronicity

52

47

17

19

-13

-2

2025 CEOS

2025/6 CCOS

2025 CEOS

2025/6 CCOS

Over half of CCOs say CEO confidence has grown and only 2% report a decline, marking a clear shift from the 13% of CEOs who noted falling confidence in 2025

2025 survey fielded by KRC Research from November 14 – December 4, 2025, among executive business leaders 2026 survey fielded by Gravity Research from December 16, 2025 – January 9, 2026, among leading communications and public affairs executives

89% of CCOs say their boards have sustained or raised expectations for stronger visibility and better fluency around stakeholder communications

© GRAVITY RESEARCH

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C E O ME S S A GIN G & A D V IS IN G

Communicators are confidently advising CEOs around top reputational risks C C OS S H OW C ON F ID E N C E IN K E Y IS S U E S ’ S T R A T E GY Share of CCOs’ confidence in advising their CEOs on the following challenges: High

Moderate

Limited

Minimal

Responding to stakeholder activism

53

33

Addressing regulatory and policy pressures

49

40

Managing geopolitical risks and implications

49

42

Navigating AI transformation and messaging

35

Communicators show their aptitude in strategic advising, with over 80% of CCOs noting moderate to high confidence in advising chief executives across top reputational challenges, and over half reporting high confidence in helping CEOs navigate targeted activist pressures

49

C E OS C OMMU N IC A T E P R IOR IT Y N A R R A T IV E S IN S T R ID E Share of CCOs on their CEO’s ability to articulate clear, credible narratives on the following issues: High

Moderate

Limited

Minimal

Stakeholder expectations and corporate responses

70

21

Regulatory and policy pressures

65

28

Geopolitical risks and impacts AI transformation and implications

56 44

40 44

CEOs are well equipped to communicate about today’s pressure points, according to the CCOs advising them. Nearly 2 in 3 communicators say their executives are highly capable of articulating strong narratives on stakeholder pressures and emerging regulatory risks

Survey fielded by Gravity Research from December 16, 2025 – January 9, 2026, among leading communications and public affairs executives

© GRAVITY RESEARCH

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A R T IF IC IA L IN T E L L IGE N C E

Communicators flag a credibility gap in AI’s business promise B 2 B C C OS F E E L T H E D IS C ON N E C T IN A I’S P R OMIS E S

C OMMS S E E S A I U S E IN S T R A T E GIC ME S S A GIN G

Share of CCOs on the greatest disconnect between expectations and reality around AI implementation*

Share of CCOs on where they believe AI will have the most significant impact in the next 12-24 months

All Respondents

B2B

B2C

All Respondents

B2B

B2C

Employee engagement

Promised business outcomes vs. measurable results Executive messaging vs. employee experience

Corporate storytelling and media relations

Investment levels vs. competitive necessity

Public affairs and policy communications

No significant disconnect 48% of B2B CCOs foresee a promisereality gap around AI’s business promise vs demonstratable impact

Internal capabilities vs. reliance on external partners Ethical commitments vs. market pressure to move fast Board expectations vs. execution capability 0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

B2B & B2C communicators aligned on AI impacts, with both identifying internal communications and storytelling as key avenues for change

Crisis and issues management Investor relations and financial communications

0%

Survey fielded by Gravity Research from December 16, 2025 – January 9, 2026, among leading communications and public affairs executives *Limited “Other” responses were omitted

50%

100%

© GRAVITY RESEARCH

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WH A T C OMMU N IC A T OR S S H OU L D D O

Despite a closing confidence gap, gains remain uneven 1

Integrate stakeholder intelligence across the

2

3

Adapt to a real-time operating model.

Own the promise-reality gap.

enterprise.

The job of the CCO is no longer crafting what the organization says but building the infrastructure that leads the enterprise on what to say, when to say it, and to whom.

Position stakeholder intelligence as strategic insight that shapes what the company does, not just how it communicates decisions already made. Before your CEO makes decisions, map how different stakeholder groups will respond. This moves you the CCO from messenger to strategic advisor.

The era of the master narrative is dead.

Modern communicators must continually adapt in real-time to the rapid movements in the regulatory, geopolitical and stakeholder environments. Invest proactively in tools that allow you to have a constant pulse on, and therefore a constant voice to, multiple stakeholder groups.

On AI, CCOs should leverage their unique organizational position—crafting external commitments while observing internal delivery—as a strategic differentiator. With nearly nine in ten reporting at least one disconnect between AI expectations and reality, the function that spots and surfaces these gaps early protects stakeholder trust before it erodes.

© GRAVITY RESEARCH

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ME T H OD OL OGY

Insiders by revenue

Between December 16, 2025, and January 9, 2026, Gravity Research surveyed its panel of more than 200 communications and public affairs executives at Fortune 1000 companies.

Forty-three respondents completed the Weber Shandwick x Gravity Research survey.

Membership comprises senior decision-makers, including Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents, Executive Vice Presidents, and CSuite executives, representing industries such as Communication Services, Consumer Discretionary, Health Care, and Information Technology.

Annual revenue and employee bands were derived to segment participants with comparable organizations.

Gravity Research also evaluated participants by industry and whether the company primarily served consumers, a business-to-consumer (B2C) company, or businesses, a business-tobusiness (B2B) company.

Insiders by headcount

5%

16%

19%

14%

30% 16%

16%

37% 16%

30% <$10B

$10-25B

$25-50B

$50-100B

$100B+

<25K

25-50K

50-100K

100-200K

200K+

Insider Demographics Industry Sectors: Industries represented among Insiders are communication services, consumer discretionary, consumer staples, financials, health care, industrials, information technology, materials, and retail.

Seniority: Insiders reflect senior-most leaders within their organizations, including titles such as vice president, senior vice president, executive vice president, and c-suite leadership.

Corporate Functions: A variety of functional areas were represented by these executives, including communications, marketing, government affairs, public policy, external affairs, corporate social responsibility, sustainability, reputation, and risk management with some leaders holding responsibility in multiple areas.

© GRAVITY RESEARCH

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