We are proud to announce the publication last week of our 2025 Risk & Compliance Dimensions report. It is based on our annual survey of 230 Risk and Compliance executives across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific where we ask them to rank the drivers of their investment in IT initiatives (and then pepper them with numerous follow up questions).
As the impact of artificial intelligence ripples through every part of financial services, Chief Risk Officers are in step with their fellow FSI executives in putting AI at the top of their list of priorities - 74% of respondents chose Artificial Intelligence as one of their top 3 priorities (up from 41% last year). We see this shift as a fundamental change in how banks are approaching risk management, operational resilience, and financial crime prevention. For CROs, understanding and embracing AI is essential – because let’s face it, nobody wants to be the last to know when the robots take over.
A critical insight from our study is the integral role of AI and data management in modern risk management. Approximately 43% of respondents chose robust Data Management as a priority, recognizing that it is essential for maximizing the benefits of AI. That’s right—clean data is the new black! By implementing advanced data governance frameworks, such as data fabrics and mesh models (which sound way cooler than they actually are), banks can ensure they have clean, accessible data that fuels AI applications and allows for real-time decision-making and enhanced risk analytics
While data management is important, you can see from the chart above that Financial Crime Prevention was actually the second highest priority. This category spans both AML compliance and fraud prevention. The topic overlaps with AI as most of the investment here is using it to automate AFC processes and detect anomalies and threats with higher accuracy. So, while you’re busy trying to remember your password for the fifth time today, AI will be out there saving the day and keeping the bad guys at bay.
Operational Resilience has dropped from being a top priority for 73% of FIs in 2023 to 33% in 2025. Building an organization capable of swiftly responding to changing operational risks is crucial for longterm stability, but as DORA went live at the beginning of this year, and similar operational reslience regulatory deadlines passed in the UK, Australia and Singapore, risk executives have declared job done.
In Q2, we will be publishing regional versions of this Dimensions survey for North America and Europe and also versions that focus specifically on Anti-Financial Crime as well as operational resilience and GRC transformation. It will also serve as a key input for our estimates of IT and Operational Spending reports which will come out in Q3.
We will also announce the winners of our Model Risk Manager awards to recognize financial institutions for best practices of technology usage in all aspects of risk and compliance and publish detailed case studies of these initiatives.
In these variable times, one thing is certain: none of us can go it alone. As you face hard decisions in the areas of technology and partnerships, Celent is here to support you. We can help you vet partners and technologies as you respond to competitive and government initiatives, the changing needs of your customers, and growing cost pressures.
