AI in Risk & Compliance Report
AI in Risk & Compliance 2026
How AI investment is translating into measurable returns and the governance gap putting those gains at risk
About this Report
AI is no longer a pilot project in risk and compliance, it’s a budget line. The AI in Risk & Compliance 2026 report draws on surveys of 300 senior compliance decision-makers at financial institutions and 100 technology vendors, alongside qualitative interviews with regulators and market experts, to deliver the most detailed picture yet of how AI is being adopted, governed, and monetised across financial crime compliance, conduct risk, compliance management, cybersecurity, technology risk, data risk, and ESG. Produced by Parker & Lawrence Research and RegTech Analyst, the report identifies what separates ROI leaders from laggards and why deployment is currently outpacing control.
What you’ll learn
Why financial institutions are forecasting $703.7 million of AI spend in 2026, roughly 30% of total RegTech budgets, and where that money is going
What separates ROI leaders (51%+ realised returns) from laggards (1–10%) – five behaviours, from deployment intensity to solving the implementation layer
How AI agents are already shaping decisions at 51% of institutions, and why the highest performers pair new models with proven rules-based AI and predictive ML rather than chasing the newest architecture
Why 69.3% of institutions now have AI deployment running ahead of their control environment
Where vendors and institutions disagree on AI’s value and risk, and what that gap means for buyers evaluating solutions
Don’t just read the insights – watch the webinar to hear the experts behind the research break down the findings that are set to define risk and compliance technology in 2026 and beyond.