Organizations with visible AI strategies are 3.5x more likely to see ROI than those without significant plans. (Thomson Reuters Future of Professionals Report 2025)
Highlights
- AI adoption drives productivity gains, saving professionals five hours weekly worth $19,000 annually.
- Cross-functional collaboration across governance and compliance functions is critical for business success.
- Organizations with clear AI strategies are 3.5 times more likely to see ROI.
In an era marked by volatility and rapid change, making customers the center of a company’s leadership, strategy, and operations is critical for remaining agile and competitive. Organizations that prioritize customer obsession are better equipped to adapt to changing market conditions and customer needs. However, achieving this customer-centric transformation requires more than just strategic intent—it demands seamless integration of advanced technologies and collaborative workflows across all business functions.
A recent study commissioned by Thomson Reuters and conducted by Forrester Consulting in October 2025 highlights the importance of cross-functional collaboration and the role of AI technology in driving business success. For risk and fraud leaders, this AI collaboration is not just beneficial—it’s critical. Eighty percent of respondents indicated that collaboration across corporate governance and compliance roles is important or critical for their organization’s ability to deliver on strategic business objectives. The question is no longer whether AI will transform the corporate world, but rather how quickly and effectively organizations can harness its power to drive growth, improve efficiency, and enhance customer experiences.
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A look into the AI-driven transformation
The critical role of cross-functional collaboration in risk management
Overcoming barriers to AI adoption
A look into the AI-driven transformation
AI is being applied across industries, with companies using this technology to streamline operations, drive innovation, and stay ahead of the competition. As AI continues to advance, it’s clear that its impact will continue to grow, making it essential for corporate leaders to understand its potential and develop strategies for harnessing its power.
One of the key drivers of AI adoption is the potential for significant productivity gains. According to the Thomson Reuters Future of Professionals Report, professionals expect to save an average of five hours per week within the next year, translating to approximately 240 hours per year. This translates into an estimated $19,000 of value per individual annually, representing a substantial opportunity for organizations to drive growth and improve efficiency. With the integration of tech solutions across enabling functions, organizations can unlock even more value, as seen in the Forrester study, where 79% of respondents reported improved operational efficiency and 65% reported increased revenue.
Key areas of impact
AI is having a major impact on several key areas of corporate operations, including decision-making, customer experiences, and operations. However, the study reveals that business enabling functions have increasingly intertwined goals, requiring close collaboration across all corporate governance and compliance enabling functions. For risk leaders, this means working closely with legal departments to implement compliance frameworks, while fraud prevention teams must collaborate with legal and finance to ensure comprehensive coverage of potential vulnerabilities.
Decision-making: AI is enabling more informed decision-making by providing professionals with access to vast amounts of data and advanced analytics capabilities.
Customer experiences: AI is being used to personalize customer experiences, improve customer service, and drive engagement.
Operations: AI is being used to automate routine tasks and workflows, freeing up professionals to focus on higher-value activities.
Benefits of AI adoption
The benefits of AI adoption are clear, with companies that have implemented AI strategies experiencing significant gains in productivity, efficiency, and revenue growth. According to the Future of Professionals Report, organizations that have put AI adoption strategies into practice are twice as likely to experience revenue growth as those without such strategies. The report highlights that insights-driven organizations are more likely to use integrated tech solutions and connected data ecosystems, enabling them to make faster and more informed decisions.
Some of the key benefits of AI adoption include:
- Increased productivity
- Improved efficiency
- Enhanced decision-making capabilities
- Personalized customer experiences
- Revenue growth
When selecting tech solutions for corporate governance and compliance roles, organizations consider seamless integration, connected data ecosystems, and AI capabilities as key factors. The Forrester study notes that 52% of respondents cited seamless integration as a top consideration, while 46% cited the ability to consolidate data into a single unified ecosystem, and 41% cited AI capabilities. For risk leaders, this integration is essential—nearly half of organizations reported lacking a continuous, cross-functional view of data and insights, a gap that significantly impacts risk assessment accuracy.
The critical role of cross-functional collaboration in risk management
Cross-functional collaboration in corporate governance and compliance is falling short, hampered by issues like poor communication, siloed systems, and fragmented technology. Legacy tech, skill gaps, and inadequate data create operational blind spots, with only 32% of organizations using integrated tech solutions across these functions. These inefficiencies heighten compliance risks and hinder decision-making. However, mature organizations are overcoming these challenges by adopting integrated technology—often from the same vendor—which leads to better collaboration, improved productivity, and enhanced risk management.
Overcoming barriers to AI adoption
While the benefits of AI adoption are clear, there are also several barriers that organizations must overcome in order to successfully implement AI strategies. These include concerns around data security, accuracy of AI outputs, and the potential for job losses. However, by understanding these concerns and developing strategies to address them, corporate leaders can help to build trust in AI and drive adoption.
Some of the key concerns around AI adoption include:
Data security: Ensuring that sensitive data is protected and secure is a top priority for organizations adopting AI.
Accuracy of AI outputs: Professionals need to be confident in the accuracy of AI outputs in order to trust the technology and make informed decisions.
Job losses: While AI has the potential to automate some jobs, it’s also creating new opportunities and enabling professionals to focus on higher-value activities.
A roadmap for AI success
So, what steps can corporate leaders take to ensure successful AI implementation? The Thomson Reuters Future of Professionals Report provides a practical roadmap, outlining four critical layers for AI success:
- Strategy: Organizations with a clear AI strategy are 3.5 times as likely to see ROI.
- Leadership: Firms where leaders lead by example are significantly more likely to report benefits.
- Operations: Forward-looking organizations are adjusting workflows, pricing models, and talent strategies to maximize AI impact.
- Individuals: Professionals who understand AI and feel empowered to use it are more likely to see results.
By following this roadmap and integrating their tech stack across business enabling functions, organizations can unlock the full potential of AI and drive business success.
Conclusion
The future of corporate success is inextricably linked with the adoption of AI. As the technology continues to evolve and improve, organizations that fail to adapt risk being left behind. By understanding the potential of AI, developing strategies for harnessing its power, and overcoming barriers to adoption, corporate leaders can drive growth, improve efficiency, and enhance customer experiences. To learn more about how new-aged tech is reshaping operations, culture, and strategy across industries and discover how you can stay ahead of the curve, download our Future of Professionals Report now to future-proof your organization and unlock the full potential of AI.
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