Forensics Today

The future of investigations: Human-led, AI-enabled

February 03, 2026

Investigative functions within organizations are getting squeezed by growing caseloads, data volumes, regulatory requirements, and cost pressures. Largely reliant on siloed, labor-intensive processes, many struggle to adapt and risk falling further behind.

At the same time, trust remains a significant barrier to modernization. Many investigators worry that use of AI-enabled solutions―while proven in other domains―might jeopardize accuracy, compliance, privilege, explainability, and defensibility. Limited hands-on experience using AI compounds their concerns.

Failing to modernize, however, is no longer sustainable. Human-led, AI-enabled models help empower teams to deliver faster, more reliable, and transparent results. When implemented responsibly, AI not only improves accuracy and credibility but can transform the investigative function from a cost center into a strategic collaborator.

Conducting timely, reliable investigations is increasingly challenging in today’s environment. Rising caseloads, disparate data sets, and growing demand for speed and consistency are pushing the limits of traditional investigative functions, even as they face mounting budget pressures. Meanwhile, regulators have heightened expectations for how organizations handle sensitive data and emerging technology. The cumulative effect is clear. Outdated, manual models are cracking under the weight of modern demands, leaving legal and compliance teams overwhelmed, and their organizations potentially exposed.

Recent industry data underscores the urgency of adapting. According to the Association of Corporate Counsel’s 2025 survey of chief legal officers, 44% of respondents see a rise in internal investigations, while 60% report increased litigation costs. PwC’s Global Compliance Survey 2025 indicates that 63% of business leaders believe the complexity and disaggregated nature of data across their organization makes compliance more difficult. Together, these findings reflect a growing gap between the demands placed on investigations and what traditional models can sustain.

Faced with these risks, organizations should fundamentally reconsider their approach to investigations. Delays, inconsistent processes, missed evidence, rising costs, and investigator burnout slow resolutions, diminish quality control, and increase defensibility risks—not due to a lack of skill, but because of outdated systems and processes. Continuing to rely on legacy investigation models can put organizations at risk of significant operational and reputational harm.

Legal and compliance leaders face a pivotal choice: modernize investigations or fall further behind. AI offers a powerful solution by absorbing data-heavy, repetitive tasks and generating insights, enabling investigators to focus on critical judgment and decision-making. When implemented responsibly with strong privacy, security, and oversight guardrails, AI enables faster, more consistent, and defensible investigations.

Discover how AI-enabled capabilities can transform your investigative function

© 2017 - 2026 PwC. All rights reserved. PwC refers to the PwC network and/or one or more of its member firms, each of which is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details.

The future of investigations: Human-led, AI-enabled

Discover how AI-enabled capabilities can transform your investigative function

{{filterContent.facetedTitle}}

{{item.title}}

{{item.title}}