Wipro’s Pulse survey looked at capital markets firms who are far along the Agentic AI planning stages. US capital markets industry is at a major turning point; it will increasingly divide into two groups on either side of an agentic AI readiness gap.
This research explores how US capital markets firms are preparing for that future.
Report Themes:
- Today, just one 1 in 10 AI-forward capital markets firms have the infrastructure necessary to deploy agentic AI, but the race is accelerating. With 57% expecting to reach technological readiness within two years and 44% already exploring implementations, we're witnessing the emergence of a new competitive landscape.
- Capital markets firms are serious about AI innovation, but their infrastructure readiness varies widely. Successful agentic AI deployment needs thorough preparation across technology, governance and regulation.
- To manage risk and build early momentum, firms are focusing on proven use cases— risk modelling (85%), portfolio management (82%), and algorithmic trading (79%) — while keeping a sharp focus on regulatory compliance. With 73% citing data privacy as a concern, a compliance-first architecture is essential, not optional.
- Regulatory approvals often stretch project timelines, with risk management reviews taking twice as long as application development. This makes early planning, embedded governance, and proactive engagement with regulators critical to keeping deployments on track.
- Partnerships will be critical to success. 85% of firms are seeking expert guidance and leadership support — particularly in data modernization as autonomous agents depend on fully transformed data pipelines to make effective decisions.
Key takeaway: 90% of firms not ready today have a critical 24-month window to prepare, or risk being left behind
Capital markets firms face a time-critical preparation gap:
