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NewsRIAs

RIA AI maturity tracks governance structure, not tech spend

Firms with centralized or hybrid governance scored more than 2.5 times higher in a Cerulli study of 68 firms.

By the RIA desk1 source

At a glance

  1. InvestmentNews reported the findings on Oct. 26, citing the September 2026 study.
  2. Governance structure was the strongest predictor of AI maturity, ahead of firm size and technology spend, while CTOs owned AI at 75% of leading firms.
  3. For principals at firms without a CTO, the useful question is who owns AI, rather than how much the firm spends on it.

RIAs with centralized or hybrid AI governance scored more than 2.5 times higher on AI maturity than firms with decentralized or undefined approaches, a Cerulli Associates study of 68 firms found. InvestmentNews reported the findings on Oct. 26, citing the September 2026 study.

Governance structure was the strongest predictor of AI maturity, ahead of firm size and technology spend, while CTOs owned AI at 75% of leading firms. Cerulli partnered with Vista Equity Partners on the study.

For principals at firms without a CTO, the useful question is who owns AI, rather than how much the firm spends on it.

Michael Brice of BW Cyber Services told InvestmentNews that smaller firms without a C-suite technology leader often put AI governance under the chief compliance officer, an arrangement he considers inadequate.

Reported by the RIA desk from InvestmentNews. Published . Corrections

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