A low-growth economic environment is identified as the biggest risk in the third quarter of 2025, and companies are expected to proactively respond to the crisis through risk priority management.

Global market research firm Gartner announced on the 7th that the 'low-growth economic environment' was the emerging risk factor that corporate risk managers were most concerned about in the third quarter of 2025.

This ranked first, surpassing AI-related risks, and is analyzed to be mainly due to trade tensions, job insecurity, and persistent inflation.

Gartner, in its Quarterly Emerging Risk Report, surveying 184 corporate risk and audit executives worldwide, warned that volatility in global financial markets and weakening consumer sentiment could entrench a long-term low-growth trend.

The weakening of investor and consumer confidence could have a direct impact on corporate operations.

AI-related risks rose from fourth place in the second quarter to second place in the third quarter.

In particular, the risk of inaccurate or potentially unregulated data being fed into AI models is increasing due to poor information governance. 'Shadow AI', which involves using AI tools not approved by the organization, also rose from fifth to third place, raising concerns about data leaks, regulatory violations, and reputational damage.

The report said that unusual and extreme weather events, such as record-breaking heat waves, could impact operational capabilities, supply chains, and consumer behavior, while "deglobalization" due to increased protectionism and heightened geopolitical tensions could also lead to a restructuring of global supply chains and increased operating costs.

Gartner emphasized that the ability to distinguish between “risks requiring immediate response” is essential for companies to survive in an increasingly complex risk environment.

In fact, while 72% of ERM leaders recognize the importance of timely response, only 15% are confident in which risks should be addressed first.

Accordingly, Gartner suggested setting response priorities in three stages: △ setting impact criteria based on various variables such as regulation, reputation, and ESG; △ linking strategic priorities with emerging risks; and △ determining priorities considering response time, impact, and speed.

“With the proliferation of AI and macro uncertainty simultaneously at play, having a risk prioritization system in place to avoid strategic confusion is key to corporate survival,” said Gartner Research Director Kamika Takar.