Artificial intelligence
266 of 521 companies added a paragraph in Risk Factors that uses one of these words:
AI, artificial intelligence, machine learning, generative, large language model.
The paragraph is in the latest 10-K and nothing like it was in the one before.
It counts text; it does not say how serious a risk is. Words in capitals only (such as AI) must be in capitals.
By sector
Sector is the SEC's industry description of the company. Each count opens that sector's quotes below.
| Sector | Companies | Compared |
|---|---|---|
| Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies | 5 | 5 |
| Services-Consumer Credit Reporting, Collection Agencies | 3 | 3 |
| Computer Peripheral Equipment, NEC | 2 | 2 |
| Men's & Boys' Furnishgs, Work Clothg, & Allied Garments | 2 | 2 |
| Retail-Catalog & Mail-Order Houses | 2 | 2 |
| Rubber & Plastics Footwear | 2 | 2 |
| Services-Medical Laboratories | 2 | 2 |
| Transportation Services | 2 | 2 |
| Air Courier Services | 1 | 1 |
| Aircraft & Parts | 1 | 1 |
| Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, NEC | 1 | 1 |
| Apparel & Other Finishd Prods of Fabrics & Similar Matl | 1 | 1 |
| Bottled & Canned Soft Drinks & Carbonated Waters | 1 | 1 |
| Communications Equipment, NEC | 1 | 1 |
| Drawing & Insulating of Nonferrous Wire | 1 | 1 |
| Electrical Industrial Apparatus | 1 | 1 |
| Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus | 1 | 1 |
| Electronic Components & Accessories | 1 | 1 |
| Engines & Turbines | 1 | 1 |
| Farm Machinery & Equipment | 1 | 1 |
| Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) | 1 | 1 |
| Gas & Other Services Combined | 1 | 1 |
| General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, NEC | 1 | 1 |
| Grain Mill Products | 1 | 1 |
| Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors | 1 | 1 |
| Insurance Carriers, NEC | 1 | 1 |
| Leather & Leather Products | 1 | 1 |
| Meat Packing Plants | 1 | 1 |
| Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment | 1 | 1 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing Industries | 1 | 1 |
| Motors & Generators | 1 | 1 |
| Newspapers: Publishing or Publishing & Printing | 1 | 1 |
| Oil & Gas Field Machinery & Equipment | 1 | 1 |
| Ordnance & Accessories, (No Vehicles/Guided Missiles) | 1 | 1 |
| Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods | 1 | 1 |
| Paper Mills | 1 | 1 |
| Real Estate | 1 | 1 |
| Retail-Computer & Computer Software Stores | 1 | 1 |
| Retail-Drug Stores and Proprietary Stores | 1 | 1 |
| Retail-Eating & Drinking Places | 1 | 1 |
| Retail-Grocery Stores | 1 | 1 |
| Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores | 1 | 1 |
| Retail-Radio, Tv & Consumer Electronics Stores | 1 | 1 |
| Retail-Retail Stores, NEC | 1 | 1 |
| Rolling Drawing & Extruding of Nonferrous Metals | 1 | 1 |
| Services-Advertising Agencies | 1 | 1 |
| Services-Detective, Guard & Armored Car Services | 1 | 1 |
| Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management | 1 | 1 |
| Services-Equipment Rental & Leasing, NEC | 1 | 1 |
| Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, NEC | 1 | 1 |
| Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) | 1 | 1 |
| Special Industry Machinery, NEC | 1 | 1 |
| Sugar & Confectionery Products | 1 | 1 |
| Telephone & Telegraph Apparatus | 1 | 1 |
| Television Broadcasting Stations | 1 | 1 |
| Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) | 1 | 1 |
| Wholesale-Electronic Parts & Equipment, NEC | 1 | 1 |
| Wholesale-Medical, Dental & Hospital Equipment & Supplies | 1 | 1 |
| X-Ray Apparatus & Tubes & Related Irradiation Apparatus | 1 | 1 |
| Computer Storage Devices | 4 | 5 |
| Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. | 4 | 5 |
| Investment Advice | 6 | 8 |
| Retail-Eating Places | 3 | 4 |
| Services-Prepackaged Software | 14 | 19 |
| Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus | 7 | 10 |
| Finance Services | 19 | 28 |
| Semiconductors & Related Devices | 10 | 15 |
| Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service | 4 | 6 |
| Electronic Computers | 2 | 3 |
| Measuring & Controlling Devices, NEC | 2 | 3 |
| Retail-Auto Dealers & Gasoline Stations | 2 | 3 |
| Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply | 2 | 3 |
| Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research | 2 | 3 |
| Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design | 2 | 3 |
| Wholesale-Drugs, Proprietaries & Druggists' Sundries | 2 | 3 |
| National Commercial Banks | 7 | 11 |
| Hospital & Medical Service Plans | 3 | 5 |
| Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, and Control | 3 | 5 |
| Laboratory Analytical Instruments | 3 | 5 |
| Services-Business Services, NEC | 9 | 16 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts | 15 | 27 |
| Electric Services | 8 | 15 |
| Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) | 2 | 4 |
| Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys | 2 | 4 |
| Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation | 2 | 4 |
| Aircraft Engines & Engine Parts | 1 | 2 |
| Arrangement of Transportation of Freight & Cargo | 1 | 2 |
| Cigarettes | 1 | 2 |
| Cutlery, Handtools & General Hardware | 1 | 2 |
| Fats & Oils | 1 | 2 |
| Industrial Organic Chemicals | 1 | 2 |
| Instruments For Meas & Testing of Electricity & Elec Signals | 1 | 2 |
| Optical Instruments & Lenses | 1 | 2 |
| Paperboard Containers & Boxes | 1 | 2 |
| Printed Circuit Boards | 1 | 2 |
| Pumps & Pumping Equipment | 1 | 2 |
| Radio & Tv Broadcasting & Communications Equipment | 1 | 2 |
| Retail-Auto & Home Supply Stores | 1 | 2 |
| Services-Computer Programming Services | 1 | 2 |
| Services-General Medical & Surgical Hospitals, NEC | 1 | 2 |
| Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings | 1 | 2 |
| Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) | 1 | 2 |
| Trucking (No Local) | 1 | 2 |
| Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products | 1 | 2 |
| Pharmaceutical Preparations | 5 | 11 |
| Crude Petroleum & Natural Gas | 3 | 7 |
| Electric & Other Services Combined | 5 | 12 |
| Retail-Variety Stores | 2 | 5 |
| Air Transportation, Scheduled | 1 | 3 |
| Computer & office Equipment | 1 | 3 |
| Computer Communications Equipment | 1 | 3 |
| Electrical Work | 1 | 3 |
| General Industrial Machinery & Equipment | 1 | 3 |
| Life Insurance | 1 | 3 |
| Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations | 1 | 3 |
| Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers | 1 | 3 |
| Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics | 1 | 3 |
| Water Transportation | 1 | 3 |
| Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies | 2 | 7 |
| Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance | 3 | 12 |
| Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies | 1 | 4 |
| Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services | 1 | 4 |
| Beverages | 1 | 5 |
| Biological Products, (No Diagnostic Substances) | 1 | 5 |
| Hotels & Motels | 1 | 5 |
| Petroleum Refining | 1 | 6 |
| State Commercial Banks | 1 | 6 |
833 paragraphs · Retail-Eating Places show all sectors
We continue to invest in and utilize emerging technologies that have potential to make business tasks easier, more efficient and less labor intensive, including artificial intelligence and machine learning. These new technologies may not deliver the expected efficiencies and could expose us to new risks, including risks related to cybersecurity, data privacy, inaccuracies, hallucinations, bias or discrimination and claims of intellectual property infringement.
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 4, 2026 ↗
In addition, the AI tools we are incorporating into certain aspects of our business may not generate the intended efficiencies, may increase our exposure to risks (both known and unknown), and could adversely impact our business results. These risks include potential operational disruptions, data integrity issues, and unintended consequences from algorithmic decision-making. Further, emerging global and U.S. regulations governing AI use – including requirements for responsible use, transparency, bias mitigation, accountability, and explainability – may impose significant compliance obligations and increase reputational risk. Failure to comply with these standards or to effectively manage associated risks, including ethical considerations such as fairness, non-discrimination, and responsible deployment, could result in regulatory penalties, litigation, operational setbacks, or adverse brand perceptions.
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 24, 2026 ↗
The Company, and our Concepts and their franchisees, are subject to numerous laws and regulations around the world which change regularly and are increasingly complex, including: the Americans with Disabilities Act in the U.S. and similar laws; laws related to employment, including the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act, the U.S. Family and Medical Leave Act, laws related to workplace health and safety, meal and rest breaks, exempt classification, non-discrimination, non-harassment, and whistleblower protections, and laws related to union organizing rights and activities; laws and regulations in government-mandated health care benefits such as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in the U.S.; laws and regulations relating to nutritional content, nutritional labeling, product safety, product marketing and menu labeling; laws relating to state and local licensing; laws relating to the relationship between franchisors and franchisees; laws and regulations relating to health, sanitation, food, workplace safety, child labor, including laws regulating the use of certain “hazardous equipment”, building and zoning, and fire safety and prevention; laws relating to information and data security, privacy, cashless payments, consumer protection, and the use of AI and other emerging technologies; laws relating to our use of third party aggregators; laws relating to international trade and sanctions, tariffs, and currency conversion or exchange; anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; environmental laws and regulations, including with respect to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions; federal and state immigration laws and regulations; and laws related to public company compliance, disclosure and governance matters.
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 20, 2026 ↗