A survey of 411 investment advisor firms found 85% rank AI compliance as a top concern, far ahead of cybersecurity at 37%.
AI's rapid adoption is driving the shift: 86% of firms now report acceptable-use policies, up from 64% in fall 2025, but only 59% have set up formal AI governance committees.
Privacy and SEC Regulation S-P followed at 35% of responses, reflecting pressure from the 2024 consumer-data safeguarding rule for advisors, brokers and other firms.
ACA Group's Carlo di Florio said firms should tighten vendor contracts, monitor outside providers and prevent staff from using personal AI tools with weaker controls.
After three years of tracking the issue, the survey suggests AI has moved from an experimental tool to a core compliance and risk-management challenge across wealth management.