Decipher Index
Decipher Index, created by Burson and Limbik, uses cognitive AI to evaluate and predict the impact of various themes with broad social, political, and organizational implications.
Weekly forecasts predict the themes with the greatest impact for the upcoming seven days.
2024 is set to be a year filled with disruptive forces. From elections in more than 40 countries, to the Paris Olympics and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, efforts to influence people will leverage various global and cultural issues. This inherently creates risk for organizations and brands. By understanding which themes are likely to energize online users, companies can mitigate potential reputational crises and build organizational resilience.
Global Virality Rankings
Predicted through an AI-powered proprietary probabilistic forecasting model, the Global Virality Ranking forecasts more than 20 themes most likely to elicit engagement online. The approach sources, deconstructs, and analyzes artifacts (social posts, news stories, etc.) related to each theme from more than 1.5 million global sources to predict which themes are most likely to energize online users. In addition to the index below you can review analyst commentary in the BLUF.
Last Update:
December 18, 2024
Bottom Line Up Front
Burson Decipher powered by Limbik can be deployed to quantify information risk in more than 100 countries.
Across the global information landscape, 2024 Elections is the most engaging theme due to a number of factors. In France, the government’s collapse over budgetary disputes has led to political instability, ushering in a new prime minister who has the difficult task of delivering an acceptable budget and stabilizing the chaotic parliamentary environment. Similarly, in neighboring Germany, a no-confidence vote for Chancellor Olaf Schulz has resulted in the dissolving of his government, with an election now set for February 23. Lastly, in India, Prime Minister Modi’s proposal to consolidate state and federal elections into one election every five years has sparked national debate as many criticize his tightening grip on power. Without a doubt, 2024 Elections will remain a highly engaging theme as the fallout of recent elections continues to play out into 2025.
Up ten spots, Electric Vehicles is influenced by European automakers—including Volkswagen, Stellantis, and Renault—raising their prices on gasoline cars in preparation for stronger emissions regulations that are due to take effect in January 2025. In the United States, Hyundai has made significant strides to compete with Tesla by injecting a US$7.6 billion investment in an EV factory in Georgia even as Donald Trump has announced he plans to eliminate federal EV tax credits. Lastly, China’s CATL, the world’s largest producer of EV batteries, has aimed to open 1,000 swap stations across China, Hong Kong, and Macao by 2025, allowing for quicker refueling and exchanging old batteries.
