Cloudera, in partnership with Finextra Research, published a global report based on a survey of 155 executives and leaders worldwide. The findings indicate hybrid AI deployment is an important strategy in the financial services industry, with 91% of organizations rating a hybrid approach as highly valuable. The study also finds that, despite widespread AI adoption, data and security barriers continue to impede full enterprise-wide integration.

The survey shows 62% of financial services organizations are now using a hybrid AI approach that includes public cloud, data centers, and edge environments to deploy AI wherever data resides. This model is considered critical for managing legacy systems, scaling efficiently, and handling the resource-intensive tasks of training and deploying AI models. The widespread adoption proves that a flexible, data-anywhere infrastructure is no longer an option, but a core requirement for competitive advantage.

Bridging the AI Implementation Gap

Data security has emerged as the primary obstacle to bridging the AI implementation gap. Furthermore, 97% of financial services organizations report that data silos hinder their ability to build and deploy effective AI models. These challenges underscore that AI innovation can only succeed when built on a foundation of trusted, unified data governance and security.

Despite high AI ambitions, many firms still struggle to unlock true transformational value. Nearly half of organizations (48%) have moved beyond initial AI experimentation, but have not yet fully integrated the technology into their core operations. This puts them at a disadvantage compared to the 26% of firms that have achieved full enterprise-wide AI adoption.

“The report confirms that a data-anywhere, hybrid strategy is non-negotiable. It also highlights that infrastructure alone isn’t enough,” said Adrien Chenallier, Global Director, AI Solutions for Financial Services at Cloudera. “To truly bridge the implementation gap, financial institutions need a unified data and AI platform that ensures consistent governance and security across all environments. This is the only way to build trust, manage risk, and accelerate AI adoption at scale.”

Key Findings

• Hybrid AI is the Dominant Approach: 62% of financial services firms are actively using a hybrid approach.
• AI Adoption is a Strategic Necessity: 97% of financial services firms are now deploying at least one AI/ML use case, moving AI from an emerging technology to a core business driver.
• Unified Governance is Non-Negotiable: With the rise of hybrid deployments, 84% of organizations consider a unified data governance and security framework across all environments to be “critical” or “very important.”
• Security Capabilities Drive AI Investments: One in four firms (25%) rank security as their top priority when evaluating an AI platform vendor.

“For our members, the reality is clear: AI can only deliver its full potential when data sovereignty, privacy, and trust are guaranteed,” said Gary Wright, managing director, Finextra Research. “Our survey results highlight both progress and gaps, underscoring that AI success will depend not just on the scale of investment, but on strategic decisions around infrastructure, vendor partnerships, and robust data governance. We’re pleased to share these insights in partnership with Cloudera, helping our global members navigate this rapidly evolving landscape.”

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