Disinformation defence to become enterprise imperative by 2027

• World Without Truth calls on CMOs and senior leadership to make disinformation resilience a boardroom concern, adopt industry-wide standards, and push for regulatory involvement.
• Only those organisations that invest in disinformation defense and cultivate trust at every level are likely to maintain brand integrity in an era of rampant digital manipulation.
• Book details how automated bot networks and sophisticated manipulation techniques can thrust global brands into viral crises within hours

By 2027, half of all enterprises are expected to invest in disinformation security and TrustOps strategies, a dramatic rise from less than 5% today, according to a new forecast from technology research and advisory firm Gartner, Inc.

The research—spotlighted in Gartner’s recently published book, World Without Truth—warns that the rapid spread of AI-driven misinformation and synthetic media is reshaping the stakes for brand management, reputation, and customer trust.

Digital deception: a new boardroom challenge

Co-authored by Gartner experts Andrew Frank, Dave Aron, and Richard Hunter, World Without Truth details how automated bot networks and sophisticated manipulation techniques can thrust global brands into viral crises within hours. “Marketers can no longer afford to treat disinformation as someone else’s problem,” Frank stated. He emphasised that the very integrity of corporate brands is now at risk, demanding a proactive, enterprise-wide response.

Strategic recommendations

The authors argue for a multi-pronged approach to disinformation defense:

• Content Verification & Certification:
  Marketers must adopt verification standards like Content Credentials to verify the authenticity of digital assets and stave off the impact of deepfakes and synthetic media.
• TrustOps & Cross-Functional Collaboration:
  Organizations are urged to develop TrustOps frameworks—a holistic approach to managing trust supported by operational policy, technology, and dedicated cross-functional teams. Trust Councils and transparency initiatives are key as distinguishing truth from deception becomes increasingly difficult.
• Narrative Intelligence & Media Listening:
  Advanced narrative intelligence and media monitoring tools are essential for detecting and neutralizing emerging influence operations before they affect brand equity.
• Behavioral Science & Nudging:
  By leveraging behavioral science, brands can foster healthy skepticism and critical thinking among both consumers and employees to build resilience against misinformation.

Frank underscored that disinformation is now “a marketing imperative,” not just a security or technology issue. As public trust in institutions wanes, even established brands face vulnerability to engineered outrage, with fake viral crises fueled by bots putting decades of customer loyalty at risk. Despite this, Gartner’s research reveals most organizations have yet to elevate this threat to a strategic priority.