At the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026, executives from Hewlett Packard Enterprise and OpenAI warned companies to take charge of their AI risks now or face severe consequences for their business and society. These warnings came amid discussions about the rapid rise of AI and the threat it poses.
In a meeting held at the annual Axios House Event in Davos, HPE president and CEO Antonio Neri said businesses can no longer leave their futures to chance. “I think a year or two ago, people were still trying to figure out what AI can do. I think now that they’ve realised, as well some of the tensions we see around the world, through national security to geopolitical aspects, that now you have to take control of your destiny”, Neri said.
Furthermore, he argued that organizations must become more active in monitoring and shaping how AI integrates with operations, security and strategy. OpenAI’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, Chris Lehane, backed this view and urged business executives to balance the AI boom with proper security measures to mitigate risks.
Their urgency matches new cybersecurity data reported at the WEF 2026. New data shows 87% of surveyed leaders AI-related vulnerabilities as the fastest growing cyber risk, with data leaks ranked over threats from traditional third-party threats. The fast adoption of Generative AI had organizations scaling systems faster than AI cybersecurity risks could be prevented.
What HPE and OpenAI Say Companies are Getting Wrong
HPE and OpenAI said AI risk is something that should be dealt with today. As companies continue to integrate the use of AI across multiple phases of business like customer interactions, software development and internal decision making, the exposure to data leaks, system misuse and automated threats increases.
Additionally, other cybersecurity leaders at the WEF 2026 reinforced their concern. Akshay Joshi, the head of the World Economic Forum’s Center for Cybersecurity, said “AI-enabled vulnerabilities represent the greatest cyber risk today”.
Joshi said cybersecurity risks tend to follow major technological shifts but AI stands apart because of the speed and scale of adoption. “ Cybersecurity is an evergreen issue. Every time a new technology is adopted with great enthusiasm, we eventually begin to understand the risks and vulnerabilities that come with it. AI is particularly interesting because adoption has been rapid” he said in a conversation with Business Today.
However, despite this awareness, many businesses still lack clear ownership over their AI systems. Teams deploy tools independently while boards struggle to track how models access data or make decisions. This disconnect kills accountability and leaves organizations completely vulnerable to reputational damage.
Furthermore, both HPE and OpenAI said that companies should be more proactive and stop waiting on the government to close the gaps. AI is growing rapidly while regulations governing it are struggling to catch up.
Why AI Risk Took Center Stage at WEF 2026
Executives at the WEF 2026 that unmanaged AI risks will lead to real financial and strategic costs. Business leaders warned that companies rushing into AI adoption struggle to generate returns because they lack proper structure and governance. As a result, many organisations scale AI adoption faster than their security systems can handle, therefore exposing themselves to operational and security risks.
At the same time, PwC Global Chair, Mohamed Kande, warned that poor oversight eliminates trust. He said “Companies cannot just simply layer AI into existing workflows without structure. This will only lead to disappointment rather than value in the long run”.
Ultimately, WEF 2026 fully backed the warnings from HPE and OpenAI. As AI becomes further integrated into business systems, companies cannot separate growth from risk management. Both companies said enterprises must treat AI use and control as an integral part of business, not an afterthought. Those that act now will shape how AI operates and those that don’t will be at the mercy of a system they have no control over.
