Iowa is not usually cast as a centre of the AI economy, yet Aon’s latest resilience analysis places the US state at the top of its list for data centre development, citing very low overall risk paired with strong trade and weather resilience.
The finding comes while the global buildout accelerates. Nearly $1.3 trillion is projected to be invested in data centres worldwide by 2030, and Aon said the pace and scale of development is creating exposures that traditional models can miss. Its analysis found that resilience can vary sharply at sub-national level, sometimes by more than underlying risk levels.
“Aon’s Resilience Quotient shows that Iowa’s resilience–risk balance is roughly twice the national median, demonstrating how governance quality, institutional confidence and preparedness materially shape long-term infrastructure outcomes,” said Joe Peiser, CEO of Commercial Risk Solutions at Aon.
Aon presented Iowa as an example of a larger point: quantitative indicators alone may not be sufficient for long-range decisions in an environment affected by fragmented information and rising populism. The company said public sentiment can serve as an opportunity indicator or an early warning, revealing vulnerabilities or upside that may not be understood through financial and hazard metrics alone.
“When making decisions around investment, workforce or managing geopolitical risk, a portfolio view is far superior to a siloed perspective,” said Greg Case, president and CEO of Aon. “Understanding sentiment can be an opportunity signal or an early warning.”
Aon said its framework combines its Risk Capital and Human Capital analytics with sentiment insights drawn from Gallup’s World Poll, covering 140 countries over more than 20 years. The firm said the integrated view is intended to help leaders spot emerging risks sooner, prioritise resilience spend and move from reactive management towards proactive decision-making.
The analysis groups compounding pressures into four megatrends: trade, technology, weather and workforce. Aon said these forces interact in ways that can create trade-offs not captured when risks are assessed in isolation, including how trade volatility can amplify technology risk, and how climate pressures can influence workforce mobility. It added that sentiment can either support resilience or heighten operational risk even when fundamentals appear sound.
A second case study examined workforce disruption linked to faster AI adoption. Aon cited a gap between demand and readiness, noting that 75% of companies require AI expertise while only 31% have a coherent strategy to address that need. It also cited Gallup findings that 21% of employees globally are fully engaged at work, describing engagement, trust and preparedness as factors that can influence whether AI adoption produces gains or creates new retention and operational issues.
“Aon’s Resilience Quotient equips leaders to navigate rapid AI change with confidence,” said Lisa Stevens, chief administrative officer at Aon.
A third case study focused on forced migration, with Aon citing over 120 million people displaced by conflict, climate and systemic crises.
“Forced displacement results from extreme weather and man-made disasters like conflict and economic failure,” said Bridget Gainer, chief public affairs officer at Aon.
“Resilience is not a single blueprint,” said Joe Daly, managing partner at Gallup. “Aon’s Resilience Quotient functions as a pressure gauge, surfacing the trade-offs and early signals that help leaders strengthen resilience where it matters most.”
