CCI employees share current surveys, studies and evaluation on threat, compliance, governance, infosec and management points. Share particulars of your survey with us: editor@corporatecomplianceinsights.com.
Counsel litigation confidence drops dramatically
The share of company counsel who really feel “very ready” to handle litigation over the subsequent 12 months declined to 29% from 46%, at the same time as the common variety of lawsuits towards organizations fell to 48 from 62, in keeping with Norton Rose Fulbright’s annual survey on litigation tendencies.
The survey of greater than 400 US normal counsel and in-house litigation leaders discovered that cybersecurity stays the dominant menace, with 38% reporting elevated publicity to cybersecurity and information privateness disputes in 2025, the one dispute sort the place precise publicity outpaced predictions. Some 77% are more and more involved about “nuclear verdicts” surpassing $10 million, whereas 58% cite larger concern about “thermonuclear verdicts” exceeding $100 million.
Regulatory proceedings declined sharply, with 56% of organizations concerned in a minimum of one regulatory matter in 2025, down from 70% in 2024. Nevertheless, 82% report elevated state enforcement exercise in response to shifting federal priorities.
Gartner: Audit chiefs prioritize AI and information analytics for 2026
Greater than 70% of chief audit executives say constructing a tradition of innovation and higher leveraging information analytics and generative AI to assist audit are vital or extraordinarily vital priorities in 2026, in keeping with a survey from Gartner.
The survey of 119 chief audit executives (CAEs) discovered that 83% of audit capabilities are piloting or utilizing AI, with one other 12% planning to take action throughout the yr. Nevertheless, CAEs report low confidence in attaining their AI goals, with progress typically restricted by poor information high quality, lack of technical improvement expertise and in some instances entry to the know-how. Regardless of vital funding in information analytics, many audit departments report they haven’t realized anticipated efficiency beneficial properties from the know-how.
The highest priorities for CAEs in 2026 relate to know-how as a way to satisfy calls for for expanded audit protection and ship larger worth amid useful resource constraints and a quickly altering threat atmosphere. Audit capabilities that efficiently undertake AI notice advantages together with sooner reporting cycles, accelerated anomaly detection and adaptive threat evaluation and monitoring options.
M&A and strategic partnerships prime board priorities for 2026
Pursuing progress by means of M&A and strategic partnerships topped the listing of board priorities for 2026, cited by 40% of administrators, in keeping with a survey from Company Board Member and Diligent Institute.
The survey of over 200 US public firm board members discovered that M&A ranks because the second-highest capital allocation precedence for 2026 at 37%, behind know-how adoption and integration at 42%. Regardless of this give attention to deal-making, just one% of administrators cite M&A panorama and company valuations as a priority, whereas 55% view a pointy downturn within the US economic system as the most important threat going through their organizations in 2026.
AI has quickly infiltrated boardrooms, with 38% of administrators saying deploying AI know-how throughout the enterprise is a prime precedence. Nevertheless, solely 8% report having robust AI experience amongst their ranks — the bottom stage of experience throughout all areas surveyed — and 40% say AI is among the many most difficult points for boards to supervise. Some 84% of administrators have strengthened their scenario-planning method in a roundabout way, with 58% including financial shocks and 56% incorporating regulatory coverage shifts into their workouts.
Different key findings:
- Some 58% of administrators need much less displays and extra time for strategic planning at board conferences.
- “AI experience” ranked fourth on the listing of desired attributes for brand new board appointees, whereas solely 8% of boards have robust AI experience.
- Almost half of administrators now obtain real-time or near-real-time operational information between conferences, but 53% say they don’t typically obtain such information.
CCI employees share current surveys, studies and evaluation on threat, compliance, governance, infosec and management points. Share particulars of your survey with us: editor@corporatecomplianceinsights.com.
Counsel litigation confidence drops dramatically
The share of company counsel who really feel “very ready” to handle litigation over the subsequent 12 months declined to 29% from 46%, at the same time as the common variety of lawsuits towards organizations fell to 48 from 62, in keeping with Norton Rose Fulbright’s annual survey on litigation tendencies.
The survey of greater than 400 US normal counsel and in-house litigation leaders discovered that cybersecurity stays the dominant menace, with 38% reporting elevated publicity to cybersecurity and information privateness disputes in 2025, the one dispute sort the place precise publicity outpaced predictions. Some 77% are more and more involved about “nuclear verdicts” surpassing $10 million, whereas 58% cite larger concern about “thermonuclear verdicts” exceeding $100 million.
Regulatory proceedings declined sharply, with 56% of organizations concerned in a minimum of one regulatory matter in 2025, down from 70% in 2024. Nevertheless, 82% report elevated state enforcement exercise in response to shifting federal priorities.
Gartner: Audit chiefs prioritize AI and information analytics for 2026
Greater than 70% of chief audit executives say constructing a tradition of innovation and higher leveraging information analytics and generative AI to assist audit are vital or extraordinarily vital priorities in 2026, in keeping with a survey from Gartner.
The survey of 119 chief audit executives (CAEs) discovered that 83% of audit capabilities are piloting or utilizing AI, with one other 12% planning to take action throughout the yr. Nevertheless, CAEs report low confidence in attaining their AI goals, with progress typically restricted by poor information high quality, lack of technical improvement expertise and in some instances entry to the know-how. Regardless of vital funding in information analytics, many audit departments report they haven’t realized anticipated efficiency beneficial properties from the know-how.
The highest priorities for CAEs in 2026 relate to know-how as a way to satisfy calls for for expanded audit protection and ship larger worth amid useful resource constraints and a quickly altering threat atmosphere. Audit capabilities that efficiently undertake AI notice advantages together with sooner reporting cycles, accelerated anomaly detection and adaptive threat evaluation and monitoring options.
M&A and strategic partnerships prime board priorities for 2026
Pursuing progress by means of M&A and strategic partnerships topped the listing of board priorities for 2026, cited by 40% of administrators, in keeping with a survey from Company Board Member and Diligent Institute.
The survey of over 200 US public firm board members discovered that M&A ranks because the second-highest capital allocation precedence for 2026 at 37%, behind know-how adoption and integration at 42%. Regardless of this give attention to deal-making, just one% of administrators cite M&A panorama and company valuations as a priority, whereas 55% view a pointy downturn within the US economic system as the most important threat going through their organizations in 2026.
AI has quickly infiltrated boardrooms, with 38% of administrators saying deploying AI know-how throughout the enterprise is a prime precedence. Nevertheless, solely 8% report having robust AI experience amongst their ranks — the bottom stage of experience throughout all areas surveyed — and 40% say AI is among the many most difficult points for boards to supervise. Some 84% of administrators have strengthened their scenario-planning method in a roundabout way, with 58% including financial shocks and 56% incorporating regulatory coverage shifts into their workouts.
Different key findings:
- Some 58% of administrators need much less displays and extra time for strategic planning at board conferences.
- “AI experience” ranked fourth on the listing of desired attributes for brand new board appointees, whereas solely 8% of boards have robust AI experience.
- Almost half of administrators now obtain real-time or near-real-time operational information between conferences, but 53% say they don’t typically obtain such information.
