5 AI Takeaways from NAVEX's State of Risk & Compliance Survey

What do we know about AI adoption in risk and compliance?

Artificial intelligence has quickly become one of the biggest conversations in risk and compliance. But while headlines often focus on what’s possible, compliance leaders are asking more practical questions: Where can AI create value? What risks does it introduce? And how do organizations adopt it responsibly? 

The findings from the 2026 NAVEX State of Risk & Compliance report show that many organizations have moved beyond curiosity and research and into implementation. That said, the data reveals a clear theme: successful AI adoption depends as much on governance and human oversight as it does on technology itself. 

Here are five key takeaways from the survey.

1. AI is already becoming part of the compliance toolkit

Organizations are no longer asking whether AI belongs in compliance programs. They’re identifying where it can deliver the greatest value.

Today, nearly half (49%) of respondents report using AI for risk assessment and scoring, making it the most common compliance use case. Training follows closely at 45%, while 41% use AI for program reporting and analytics. According to the 2026 survey, organizations are also applying AI to policy administration (27%), monitoring and surveillance (28%) and investigations support (27%).

These use cases share a common thread: they help compliance teams process information more efficiently, identify patterns more quickly and spend more time on higher-value work.

Rather than replacing compliance expertise, AI can help teams scale it.

2. The next wave of AI adoption is focused on employee enablement

While current AI adoption is strongest in risk assessment, organizations expect their biggest investments over the next 12 months to focus elsewhere.

According to the survey, 61% of respondents plan to use AI for ethics and compliance training, while half expect to expand AI-powered monitoring and surveillance capabilities. Nearly half (46%) anticipate using AI to support investigations through evidence review, pattern detection and report writing.

This shift suggests that AI is increasingly viewed as a way to strengthen everyday compliance activities rather than simply automate administrative work.

AI use in training is especially noteworthy. As compliance requirements continue to evolve, AI creates opportunities to personalize learning, tailor content to different audiences and deliver more relevant experiences without increasing administrative burden. The ability to pivot and create materials quickly is a hallmark benefit of AI – but compliance and L&D leaders must be vigilant in ensuring human oversight and judgment when AI-created training is deployed.

3. Optimism is growing, but expectations remain realistic

AI attitudes often swing between extremes of those who see the tremendous benefits and those who believe AI is a harbinger of something more detrimental. The survey tells a more balanced story.

Nearly one-third (32%) of respondents believe AI will significantly transform their risk and compliance programs, delivering major gains in efficiency and effectiveness. Another 22% expect moderate improvements. At the same time, 17% say it’s still too early to understand AI’s overall impact, while another 17% believe the net effect remains unclear. Only 4% expect AI to introduce more risk than benefit.

These findings reflect a healthy level of pragmatism.

Compliance leaders generally recognize AI’s potential, but they also understand that successful implementation requires thoughtful governance, reliable data and clear accountability. Technology alone doesn’t improve compliance outcomes. How organizations implement and oversee AI ultimately determines its value.

4. Compliance is earning a voice in AI decisions, but there’s still room to grow

One of the most encouraging findings is that compliance teams are increasingly involved in organizational AI decision-making.

Seventy-one percent of respondents say their compliance function is either very involved or somewhat involved in AI governance decisions, including nearly one-third who report being consulted early and empowered to stop problematic deployments.

That’s an important signal that AI governance isn’t seen as solely an IT responsibility. Compliance brings expertise in regulatory obligations, ethical decision-making, policy development and risk management that help organizations deploy AI responsibly.

The survey also highlights an opportunity. Nearly three in 10 organizations still report minimal or no compliance involvement in AI decisions. As AI regulations evolve globally, closer collaboration between Compliance, Risk, Legal and IT is increasingly important.

5. Responsible AI requires people, processes and governance

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from this year’s survey is that AI adoption and AI governance must evolve together.

Organizations are expanding AI across compliance functions, but success won’t be measured simply by the number of use cases deployed. Success depends on maintaining trust, ensuring transparency and keeping people at the center of critical decisions.

The most effective compliance programs will combine AI with strong governance frameworks, clear policies and ongoing human oversight. AI can help teams identify risks faster, surface insights from large volumes of data and improve operational efficiency, but experienced compliance professionals remain essential for interpreting context, making judgment calls and building an ethical culture.

The future of compliance isn’t human or AI – it’s human expertise, strengthened by responsible AI.