Regulatory Compliance

Businesses optimistic about AI investment and content innovation despite security concerns ahead of 2026

Monday, 15 December 2025 6:46PM UTC

A new survey reveals widespread corporate confidence in AI growth and content optimisation by 2026, driven by operational gains, but highlights significant challenges in governance, security, and regulatory compliance that could shape the pace of adoption.

Storyblok’s new survey of 200 senior IT and procurement professionals paints a broadly optimistic picture of corporate attitudes to artificial intelligence heading into 2026: 90% of respondents said their organisations plan to increase AI investment next year, with 57% expecting a “significant increase” and only 2% forecasting cuts. According to the original report, 91% of those surveyed believe AI will improve content management within their organisations, suggesting firms see immediate, practical use cases for generative tools inside CMS workflows. ^[1]^[2]^[3]

The survey also captures why budgets are rising: respondents reported tangible returns from current AI activity. Operational efficiency was the most-cited benefit (54%), followed by faster time to value (48%), enhanced employee productivity (43%) and streamlined decision-making (41%). Such gains help explain why some vendors are accelerating feature rollouts and why enterprises are treating AI as a strategic line item rather than an experimental add‑on. Industry reporting shows similar investment patterns across retail and customer‑experience tooling, where firms have committed substantial sums despite mixed short‑term impact on customer metrics. ^[1]^[2]^[4]

Yet enthusiasm sits alongside clear gaps in readiness. The study found only 23% of organisations have fully integrated Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) strategies to adapt content for AI-driven discovery, while 41% were at either zero or early stages of GEO adoption. The report warns that without GEO, brands risk losing visibility as user search behaviour shifts toward answer engines and chat‑style interfaces , a dynamic several analysts expect to reconfigure traffic and marketing channels in the coming year. Storyblok is positioning its headless CMS and related guidance as a way to make structured content GEO-ready. ^[1]^[2]^[6]

Security, privacy and regulation loom large as constraints on that momentum. Sixty‑one percent of respondents cited data privacy and regulatory concerns as the biggest challenge to adopting or scaling AI solutions, with security risks (58%) and legacy system constraints (43%) following closely behind. The survey indicates procurement and IT leaders want stronger data governance and quality assurance (62%), better system integration (54%) and greater vendor transparency (42%) to make deployments sustainable. As one of the company’s founders put it, “Our research paints an overwhelmingly positive business view of AI adoption as we look ahead to 2026,” said Dominik Angerer, CEO and Co‑Founder of Storyblok. ^[1]^[2]^[3]

Those worries dovetail with a shifting regulatory landscape. The EU’s forthcoming AI Act , due to be phased in through 2026 and already shaping procurement decisions , will impose classifications, transparency requirements, data governance and human oversight obligations for higher‑risk systems, with enforceable penalties for non‑compliance. That framework is instructing some buyers to prioritise governance and vendor accountability ahead of pure feature velocity. According to a white paper on AI governance, compliance obligations and the prospect of penalties are becoming central to enterprise procurement conversations. ^[7]

The corporate and vendor response includes fresh capital and product investment. Storyblok itself has recently raised growth funding to accelerate an AI and automation agenda aimed at enterprise customers, and the company highlights its client roster and technical roadmap as proof points for enterprise readiness. At the same time, independent surveys of retail and CX buyers show heavy spending on AI tools , sometimes with only modest immediate uplift in experience metrics , underscoring that money alone does not guarantee durable outcomes. The company claims its platform can act as an “AI partner in success,” but the survey respondents’ emphasis on governance and integration shows buyers expect vendors to back that claim with demonstrable controls and interoperability. ^[5]^[1]^[4]

As 2026 approaches, the data paints a picture of conditional optimism: businesses are prepared to commit capital and broaden AI use inside content management, but adoption at scale will depend on closing gaps in GEO readiness, shoring up security and meeting tightening regulatory expectations. “Content management is one of the areas where there seems to be near‑complete consensus on the transformational impact of AI,” Dominik Angerer said, even as he cautioned that governance and compliance challenges may slow some programmes. The balance between rapid productisation and disciplined governance will likely determine whether current optimism translates into durable advantage. ^[1]^[3]^[7]

📌 Reference Map:

##Reference Map:

^[1] (CMSCritic) - Paragraph 1, Paragraph 2, Paragraph 3, Paragraph 4, Paragraph 6, Paragraph 7
^[2] (CMSCritic summary) - Paragraph 1, Paragraph 2, Paragraph 4
^[3] (Business Matters Magazine) - Paragraph 1, Paragraph 4, Paragraph 7
^[4] (FashionDive) - Paragraph 2, Paragraph 6
^[5] (PR Newswire) - Paragraph 6
^[6] (Storyblok GEO checklist) - Paragraph 3
^[7] (Storyblok white paper on AI / EU AI Act) - Paragraph 5, Paragraph 7

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://cmscritic.com/are-businesses-bullish-on-ai-in-2026-new-research-says-yes-but-security-is-a-top-concern - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://cmscritic.com/are-businesses-bullish-on-ai-in-2026-new-research-says-yes-but-security-is-a-top-concern - A recent survey by Storyblok reveals that 90% of businesses plan to increase their AI investment in 2026. The study highlights that 61% of respondents view data privacy and regulatory concerns as the primary challenges to successful AI adoption. Additionally, 91% believe AI will enhance content management within their organisations. However, only 23% have fully integrated Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) strategies, indicating a gap in AI readiness among businesses.
https://bmmagazine.co.uk/tech/businesses-ai-investment-2026-security-privacy-fears-storyblok-survey/ - An article discussing a Storyblok survey that found 90% of businesses intend to increase their AI investment in 2026. The survey also identified data privacy and regulatory concerns (61%) and security risks (58%) as the top obstacles to successful AI adoption. Despite these challenges, 91% of respondents believe AI will transform content management within their organisations. However, only 23% have fully integrated Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) strategies.
https://www.fashiondive.com/news/online-retailers-spent-thousands-artificial-intelligence-customer-experience-tools/746710/ - A report highlighting that U.S. online retailers have spent an average of $400,000 over the past year on AI-powered customer experience tools. Despite this significant investment, 30% of executives reported only slight improvements in the shopper's experience. The most common AI applications include customer service (61%), marketing analysis (60%), and automating administrative tasks (42%).
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/storyblok-raises-80m-series-c-led-by-brighton-park-capital-to-bring-intelligent-content-management-to-the-enterprise-302160889.html - Storyblok has secured $80 million in Series C funding, led by Brighton Park Capital, bringing the total raised to $138 million. The investment aims to accelerate Storyblok's growth in the U.S. and Europe, supporting its vision to build an end-to-end content platform powered by AI and automation. The company serves over 200,000 developers and marketers from leading brands such as Adidas, T-Mobile, and Renault.
https://www.storyblok.com/lp/content-geo-checklist - A resource from Storyblok providing a checklist to optimise content for Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO). The guide offers insights on enhancing content visibility in AI-powered search results, emphasising the importance of structured content, fresh data, and credible sources. It also discusses how a headless CMS like Storyblok can support sustainable GEO by maintaining structured and scalable content ready for AI-driven discovery.
https://a.storyblok.com/f/109506/x/1b1229ec04/smi-building-intelligence-applying-artificial-intelligence-to-revolutionise-the-built-environment.pdf - A document discussing the application of artificial intelligence in revolutionising the built environment. It covers the EU Artificial Intelligence Act, which is expected to come into force gradually by 2026, classifying AI systems by risk level and imposing obligations accordingly. The Act includes mandatory transparency, data governance, and human oversight requirements, backed by enforceable penalties, setting a global benchmark for AI regulation.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative presents recent survey findings from Storyblok, dated December 2025, indicating a high freshness score. However, similar surveys by Storyblok in April 2025 and June 2024 have been published, suggesting that while the data is current, the topic has been covered previously. ([storyblok.com](https://www.storyblok.com/mp/ecommerce-businesses-spending-on-ai?utm_source=openai)) The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. The narrative includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. ([bmmagazine.co.uk](https://bmmagazine.co.uk/tech/businesses-ai-investment-2026-security-privacy-fears-storyblok-survey/?utm_source=openai))

Quotes check

Score: 9

Notes: Direct quotes from Storyblok's CEO, Dominik Angerer, are included. The earliest known usage of these quotes is from the press release dated December 2025. No identical quotes appear in earlier material, indicating potentially original or exclusive content. No variations in quote wording were found.

Source reliability

Score: 7

Notes: The narrative originates from CMS Critic, a reputable organisation. However, the report is based on a press release from Storyblok, which may indicate a single-source narrative. The press release is dated December 2025, and the company has a public presence with a legitimate website. ([prnewswire.com](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/storyblok-raises-80m-series-c-led-by-brighton-park-capital-to-bring-intelligent-content-management-to-the-enterprise-302160889.html?utm_source=openai))

Plausibility check

Score: 8

Notes: The claims about businesses increasing AI investment in 2026 align with industry trends and are covered elsewhere. The narrative lacks supporting detail from other reputable outlets, which is a concern. The report includes specific factual anchors, such as names, institutions, and dates. The language and tone are consistent with the region and topic. The structure is focused and relevant, with no excessive or off-topic detail. The tone is formal and appropriate for corporate communication.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM

Summary: The narrative presents recent survey findings from Storyblok, dated December 2025, indicating a high freshness score. However, similar surveys by Storyblok in April 2025 and June 2024 have been published, suggesting that while the data is current, the topic has been covered previously. The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. Direct quotes from Storyblok's CEO, Dominik Angerer, are included, with no identical quotes appearing in earlier material, indicating potentially original or exclusive content. The narrative originates from CMS Critic, a reputable organisation, but is based on a press release from Storyblok, which may indicate a single-source narrative. The claims about businesses increasing AI investment in 2026 align with industry trends and are covered elsewhere. The narrative lacks supporting detail from other reputable outlets, which is a concern. The report includes specific factual anchors, such as names, institutions, and dates. The language and tone are consistent with the region and topic. The structure is focused and relevant, with no excessive or off-topic detail. The tone is formal and appropriate for corporate communication. Given the reliance on a single source and the lack of corroboration from other reputable outlets, the overall assessment is 'OPEN' with a medium confidence level.

AI
Content Management
Enterprise Technology