Blogs
November 13, 2026
IDR's Decision Intelligence Index 2027 Reports That Only 17% of Leaders Trust AI for High-Stakes Decisions
NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2026 – IDR today released its first Decision Intelligence Index 2027, exploring how senior business leaders are adapting their decision-making as AI accelerates the pace of business. Based on a survey of 501 senior executives across five regions and five sectors, the report explores the challenges leaders face in balancing speed with judgment and shares recommendations for more confident decisions in 2027.
Key survey findings
- Just 17% have confidence in AI insight for high-stakes decisions, the least trusted of eight sources.
- 93% say some evidence for their biggest decisions isn't publicly available.
- 76% agree human judgment remains essential, no matter how advanced AI becomes.
“Leaders aren’t short of answers. They are short of answers they can trace and trust. Nearly three-quarters (74%) agree that the organizations able to rely on their evidence before a decision have the advantage. AI brings speed, but it takes human expertise to supply the context and judgment that make research worth acting on.” – Alejandro Aivar, CEO & Co-Founder, IDR.
The report uncovered that while AI has made outputs instant and 75% of senior executives now use it to inform high-stakes decisions, they still have to check what it tells them. Where information does not include a source, decisions stall: the survey found that more than half of respondents have delayed or overridden a decision for that reason. Decision-makers want speed, but they still need people to make an answer reliable.
The survey found that 60% of respondents would move faster if they trusted AI more. And as AI-generated insight and public online content both draw on the public record, much of what leaders need sits with people, not in published sources. The report closes with four priorities for decision-makers to improve decision-making in 2027.
About IDR
Founded in 2020, IDR is a leading global expert network, delivering high-quality insights at unmatched value. Recently named on the 2026 Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest-growing private companies, IDR has more than 250 employees across eight global offices and is trusted by leading market research firms, corporations, financial institutions and consulting firms worldwide.
Blog Author
Izzy Wood-Falch
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