2026 Regology State of Regulatory Compliance Survey

Building on four years of industry data, the 2026 Regology State of Regulatory Compliance Survey is now available!

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This year’s report examines how compliance teams are operating under sustained pressure, as regulatory complexity, enforcement exposure, and internal expectations continue to rise. Based on responses from 204 compliance, legal, and risk professionals across many industries—including Compliance Managers, Chief Compliance Officers, legal leaders, and risk professionals—the survey provides a clear view into the realities shaping compliance in 2026.

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Key highlights include:

• A growing difficulty in managing compliance workloads, with 92.6% of professionals reporting their role has become more challenging over the past few years.
• Rapid acceleration of AI adoption in compliance, with 59.3% of teams already using AI in some capacity.
• Enthusiasm for AI in compliance is rising rapidly, with 75.5% of professionals enthusiastic about using AI — up from 54% in 2025 — despite ongoing concerns around accuracy, privacy, and bias.
• Continued reliance on manual processes, as 80.9% of compliance teams still depend primarily on manual workflows and spreadsheets to manage regulatory obligations.
• Escalating enforcement exposure, with 73.5% of respondents reporting that their organization has faced or expects to face fines or penalties for non-compliance.
• Lean compliance teams under pressure, with 57.8% operating with five or fewer compliance professionals and a median staffing ratio of roughly 1% of total workforce.
• Shifting technology priorities, as 70%+ of respondents expect technology to take a larger share of compliance budgets in the coming years.
• Year-over-year insights across four years of data, showing steady growth in AI adoption, increased technology evaluation, declining tolerance for manual processes, and rising regulatory risk.
• And much more!

The 2026 Regology State of Regulatory Compliance Survey is an essential resource for compliance professionals, Chief Compliance Officers, legal and risk leaders, and governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) teams. It offers a data-driven benchmark for understanding how compliance functions are evolving—and where operational and regulatory risks are intensifying.

Whether evaluating compliance technology, navigating AI adoption, strengthening audit readiness, or managing regulatory change with limited resources, this report delivers practical insights to help compliance teams operate more effectively in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.

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