Banks are entering a new era in financial crime compliance (FCC) as artificial intelligence (AI) technologies move from pilot stages to full-scale implementation.
According to new research from Hawk and Chartis Research, 82% of respondents expect their institution’s AI investment to rise by more than 25% over the next two to three years. Adoption is growing rapidly across machine learning (86%), generative AI (83%), and agentic AI (76%), signalling a major shift toward AI-driven transformation in compliance.
The findings come from Hawk’s new report, ‘AI in Financial Crime & Compliance: Charting the Path from Pilot to Maturity’, which explores how banks are moving from pilot projects to large-scale AI adoption.
The report reveals strong optimism for emerging AI capabilities. One in three banks (33%) believe agentic AI will revolutionise FCC work, while 45% expect it to enhance current processes. Agentic AI is proving most valuable in case investigations and suspicious activity report (SAR) drafting, while generative AI delivers efficiency in data processing and investigative support.
Hawk CEO Tobias Schweiger said, “This research confirms that the banking sector is at a pivotal moment with AI. The realized value is proving to be significant, and now the challenge is scaling that value with a holistic application of different AI technologies. Balancing the strengths of machine learning, GenAI, and Agentic AI for different uses — from high-volume data processing to complex investigations — is key to sustaining momentum and keeping AI costs under control.”
Banks are already seeing tangible returns from their AI investments. The top benefits reported include improved detection accuracy, faster alert triage, and reduced compliance and operational costs.
Cost reduction has emerged as a standout advantage, with 71% already realising savings in anti-money laundering (AML) operations, and 94% expecting further reductions within the next year. More than half of the surveyed institutions anticipate saving over $5m within two to three years.
Regulatory attitudes toward AI are also becoming more positive. Sixty per cent of respondents expect regulators to become increasingly supportive of AI, with confidence highest in the US (66%) and Latin America (80%). This shift suggests a growing global acceptance that could accelerate AI adoption in compliance functions.
Chartis Research research director Sean O’Malley said, “Banks aren’t asking if AI works anymore. Instead, they’re focusing on how to scale it. With regulators becoming more open and the benefits increasingly tangible, we predict that 2026 will mark a decisive acceleration in AI maturity across financial crime and compliance.”
Momentum is clearly building as banks move from testing to operational deployment. Eighty-nine per cent of institutions now encourage AI use, and while 22% have fully integrated AI into their FCC operations, another 70% are advancing through pilot and exploratory stages.
Fraud prevention remains the most advanced area of application, though only 10% of banks have achieved scale. In contrast, regulatory reporting lags behind, with just 2% using AI at scale.
To uncover more insights about how AI is transforming compliance, read the full report here.
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