AI is having a greater influence on business decisions than the extent to which it has been integrated into day-to-day operations, according to new research examining adoption across major markets detailed in the AI in Risk and Compliance 2026 report.
The AI in Risk and Compliance 2026 report, which was co-authored by RegTech Analyst and Parker & Lawrence Research, jumped into the topic of AI deployment and what the data is saying in regards to global deployment of the technology.
The 2026 Global AI Deployment Intensity Index recorded a global score of 51.9 out of 100, measuring how deeply AI is used, how much autonomy it is given and how significantly it affects decisions. The findings suggest that while AI is already influencing outcomes, many organisations have further to go before it becomes fully embedded in their operations.
Decision impact scored 62.4 globally, well ahead of deployment depth at 49.2 and deployment autonomy at 44.2. This shows that AI is playing a growing role in decisions, even as its integration into core processes and its ability to act independently lag behind.
The index measures deployment depth across seven domains, from exploring potential uses to embedding AI in core processes. Autonomy looks at how much action systems are permitted to take, while decision impact measures their role in shaping outcomes.
The difference between the scores raises an important question for businesses. This question centers how do firms manage AI systems that can influence decisions without giving them greater independence.
For financial institutions in particular, that means deciding where human oversight is needed and how to maintain control as AI takes on more responsibility.
The research also compares deployment across six jurisdictions. Australia recorded the highest score at 54.1, followed by France at 53.2. The UK and US both scored 52.1, while the UAE reached 50.5 and Singapore 49.1.
The differences between these markets are relatively small, with just five points separating Australia and Singapore. However, national averages tell only part of the story, as institutions within the same market can be at very different stages of deployment.
The divide between individual organisations is much wider. The top 20% of institutions recorded an average score of 70.2, compared with 33.7 among the bottom 20%. That 36.5-point gap highlights the uneven progress being made as businesses move beyond early AI projects.
What this means
The findings show that AI deployment is not simply a question of whether organisations use the technology. How it is introduced into existing processes, and the decisions it is allowed to influence, matter just as much.
For financial services, this creates a balancing act, as by giving AI a greater role in decision-making can bring operational benefits, firms also need to understand where its authority begins and ends. They must also decide which tasks can be handled independently, where people need to remain involved and how decisions can be properly overseen.
The research does not suggest that greater autonomy is always better, or that a higher score necessarily means an organisation is using AI more effectively. Instead, it highlights the different stages of deployment and the gap between AI influencing decisions and becoming a more established part of business operations.
As financial institutions expand their use of AI, the challenge will be to make sure that the technology’s growing influence is matched by the right processes and controls. The extent of adoption may grab the headlines, but how AI is actually used could prove the more telling measure of progress.
You can download the full AI in Risk and Compliance 2026 report here.
Copyright © 2026 RegTech Analyst
Copyright © 2026 RegTech Analyst
