Bright Ideas: Measuring the ROI of AI Adoption in Financial Services

Measuring AI ROI in Financial Services with Managed Digital Employee Experience (DEX)

If there is one truth I have learned working with financial services firms in 2025, it is this: AI is no longer optional, it is operational. From risk modeling to customer experience, algorithmic trading to automated compliance checks, AI is now embedded into the fabric of modern finance.

But there is a second, quieter truth. AI only creates value when it is used responsibly, measurably, and at scale. Too many organizations are still operating in the dark, investing in AI licenses, tools, and platforms without knowing who is using what, where value is emerging, or whether shadow AI is quietly undermining compliance.

This is the gap Teneo’s Managed DEX (Digital Employee Experience) was built to close.

Financial services firms are adopting AI at unprecedented speed, driven by competitive pressure, customer expectations, and regulatory demands. As AI usage expands, organizations must understand how to measure digital employee experience alongside AI performance to ensure adoption translates into measurable business value. We are seeing AI reshape the industry in several tangible ways.

Intelligent Risk Management

AI models now sift billions of data points to identify anomalies, predict credit risk, and detect fraud patterns traditional systems miss. When supported by a strong digital employee experience strategy, these insights become operationally scalable and sustainable. Teams can respond faster, with greater accuracy, and with evidence-based decision-making.

Hyper-Efficient Operations

Routine operational workloads such as claims processing, KYC validation, and trade reconciliation are increasingly automated through GenAI-enhanced workflows. This reduces operational costs while improving throughput and accuracy. However, without clear IT experience monitoring and endpoint performance monitoring, firms risk losing visibility into how AI tools are impacting overall system performance.

Personalized Client Engagement

Advisors now use GenAI copilots to prepare client summaries, build tailored investment proposals, and surface relevant market signals instantly. This enhances both productivity and client trust – provided organizations maintain visibility through a centralized digital employee experience platform.

Enhanced Compliance and Audit Readiness

AI is rapidly shifting from a compliance risk to a compliance enabler. Automated document classification, policy validation, and audit trail creation make regulatory oversight faster and more reliable.

These innovations promise immense value, but only if AI is adopted safely, consistently, and transparently across the organization.

However, financial services firms face a unique challenge: the tension between innovation and regulation. According to insights from Teneo’s Managed DEX platform, up to 75 percent of employees use unsanctioned AI tools when visibility is lacking. Shadow AI increases data privacy, cybersecurity, and compliance risks, especially in highly regulated industries. When users quietly adopt external AI tools, often with good intentions, they introduce blind spots that can lead to fines, data leakage, or reputational damage.

However, financial services firms face a unique challenge: the tension between innovation and regulation. According to insights from Teneo’s Managed DEX, up to 75 percent of employees use unsanctioned AI tools when visibility is lacking. Shadow AI increases data privacy, cybersecurity, and compliance risks, especially in highly regulated industries. When users quietly adopt external AI tools, often with good intentions, they introduce blind spots that can lead to fines, data leakage, or reputational damage – one of the growing digital employee experience challenges in 2025.

This is why visibility is not just helpful, it is non-negotiable.

Teneo’s Managed DEX delivers:

• Real-time and historical dashboards on AI usage
• Shadow AI detection
• ROI-linked reporting
• Compliance-aligned monitoring
• Custom dashboards designed for financial services environments

Managed DEX (Digital Employee Experience) enables organizations to move from guesswork to governance. The financial services sector is full of bright ideas about what AI could do, but the firms that win will be the ones who shine a light on what AI is actually doing today.

With Managed DEX, IT and business leaders can:

• Measure actual AI adoption
• Validate ROI with real operational metrics
• Eliminate shadow AI before it becomes a risk
• Maintain airtight compliance
• Make smarter, data-driven decisions

In a world where AI is accelerating, the organizations that thrive will be those that keep pace with visibility, control, and confidence – and continuously improve their overall digital employee experience.

Because bright ideas only create value when you can see them clearly.

If you want to better understand how AI is being used across your environment and how to turn that insight into measurable ROI, meet with Teneo to learn more about our Managed DEX solution and how it supports secure, compliant AI adoption in financial services.

Author:

Brett Ayres, CTO, Teneo