Report highlights new implications for activist communication in the age of AI
new york, April 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Kekst CNC, the world’s leading strategic communications consulting firm, today released a report, “AI as the New Proxy Voting Advisor,” analyzing the emerging impact of AI engines on voting in proxy voting contests. Our analysis reveals that leading AI models are more likely to recommend voting for shareholder activist director candidates, and traditional proxy communication strategies need to be strategically recalibrated to succeed in an AI-influenced voting environment. The full report is available at this link on the Kekst CNC website.
AI as the new proxy voting advisor: Reimagining shareholder activism communications
The study tracks the recent actions of large financial institutions that rely on proxy voting engines instead of traditional proxy advisors, highlighting that AI moves beyond its role as an information source to become an active recommendation tool that increasingly influences the voting preferences of both institutional and individual shareholders.
Kekst CNC analyzed voting recommendations from four prominent large-scale language models in approximately 50 recent proxy contests. The report’s notable conclusions include:
- AI is now more likely to support activists’ claims for change than incumbent boards and executives. On average, the model recommended only 37% of the votes for all corporate director candidates. This is a significantly lower approval rating than ISS and Glass Lewis, which have historically encouraged full management votes in the majority of contests and actual election results.
- It is more important than ever to articulate a clear strategic vision and execution plan. Publishers and activists will be faced with a new set of trends taking root within AI analytics, replacing structured institutional control frameworks. The most consistent factor influencing AI recommendations is confidence in a company’s strategy, management team, and ongoing operational enhancements.
- Owned content, especially press releases, is the most important input for AI proxy recommendations. Although the influence of leading media remains strong, LLMs frequently source automated websites with lower quality but higher volume for retail financial news.
“Kekst CNC pioneered strategic communications for activism defense decades ago and now serves as a trusted counselor for companies’ most complex situations,” said Co-Chief Executive Officer Lindsey Estin. “We work to ensure our clients are well-positioned by providing both bespoke deep expertise and forward-looking analysis. Our latest research highlights the impact of AI disruption on shareholder proactive behavior and how companies and their advisors can gain a strategic advantage by considering communications through a GEO lens.”
Nick Capuano, partner and co-head of Investor Relations and Conflict Situation, said: “Activist engagement is a mission-critical tipping point for boards and executives. Institutional and retailer engagement strategies that prioritize targeted segmentation, amplify the most persuasive messages, and meet shareholders where they consume information will increasingly influence successful outcomes in conflict situations.
Kekst CNC has long been recognized as a differentiated shareholder action and M&A advisor, advising on many of the most complex and high-profile U.S. dispute situations in recent years. In 2025, bloomberg Recognized Kekst CNC as a top-ranked activist communications company, including the world’s top four defense companies with over $1 billion in market capitalization. Kekst CNC is also the number one activist advocacy firm in Japan and a leading advisor in key European markets including Germany and the UK.
This report was written by Lyndsey Estin, Nick Capuano, and Mark Fallati. The data infrastructure and AI analytics framework for this study was developed in partnership with Five Blocks, a digital reputation management company that specializes in how organizations and individuals are represented across Google Search, Wikipedia, and AI.
About Kekst CNC
For more than 50 years, Kekst CNC has defined strategic and financial communications by partnering with businesses, institutions, and leaders to seize opportunities, tackle the most complex challenges, and enhance reputations. We measure success by the impact of our attorneys and the length of our client relationships, and our more than 300 professionals across 15 offices worldwide provide unparalleled judgment, customized strategies, and best-in-class execution. Kekst CNC is a global strategic communications consultancy of Publicis Groupe, offering complementary expertise across marketing, brand communications and digital transformation. For more information, please visit www.kekstcnc.com.
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