Corporate Digital Responsibility: Building Trust in the Age of AI

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in products, services and decision-making, organisations are discovering that trust is becoming one of their greatest competitive advantages. According to researchers Michael Wade and Jochen Wirtz, Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR) is evolving beyond regulatory compliance into a strategic capability that helps organisations build confidence with customers, employees and stakeholders.

Recent examples highlight why this matters. Organisations have faced regulatory action and legal challenges over issues such as inappropriate data collection, AI-driven recruitment bias and the use of facial recognition without adequate transparency. As AI capabilities continue to expand, so too do the risks associated with privacy, fairness, accountability and governance.

There are three major developments driving this shift. Generative AI is producing content and decisions at scale, raising concerns around bias, misinformation and accountability. Agentic AI is beginning to make autonomous decisions and perform complex tasks with limited human intervention, increasing the need for oversight. Physical AI, including service robots operating in sectors such as healthcare, hospitality and retail, introduces new operational and safety risks when technology interacts directly with the physical world.

These advances are making Corporate Digital Responsibility a board-level issue rather than simply an IT concern. Organisations need governance frameworks that identify and manage AI-related risks before they impact customers, operations or reputation.

For records and information management professionals, the message is clear. Strong information governance, quality data, transparency and accountability are essential foundations for responsible AI. As organisations accelerate AI adoption, those with mature governance practices will be better positioned to build trust, meet regulatory expectations and realise the full value of AI technologies.

Click here to read full article published in Harvard Business Review

Wade, M. & Wirtz, J. (2026). Corporate Digital Responsibility Is Becoming a Growth Strategy. Harvard Business Review, 21 July 2026.