Just Start Somewhere: Practical AI for Compliance Teams.
A post-webinar reflection on “No More Hype: Practical AI for Compliance Teams” Last week’s EQS webinar wasn’t about the hype around AI—it was about moving from theory to practice. Compliance leaders joined us to explore how AI can support—not replace—the critical work of ethics and compliance professionals.
🛠 Start Small, Learn Fast
As Keith Thomas, Lead Counsel at FedEx, shared:
“Don’t let perfect get in the way of good. Just start somewhere and build trust with results.”
That theme of progress over perfection was woven throughout the session. You don’t need a 5-year roadmap or a million-dollar budget to start seeing the benefits of AI. Instead, start with a real problem—like drafting investigation summaries, translating intake reports, or helping employees navigate your policies.
🤖 Where AI is Already Working
EQS’s Compliance Cockpit already integrates GenAI to support compliance teams, not replace them. Here are a few practical examples that came up during the session:
- Auto-Translation & Transcription – Translates reports and transcribes phone intakes automatically, making global coverage easier.
- Auto-Assignment & Classification – Uses AI to classify and route reports to the right teams.
- Auto Summary – Prepares first-draft summaries of complex reports to save valuable hours.
- Auto Anonymization – Redacts personal data in reports to protect privacy and comply with regulations.
- Policy Buddy – AI-powered chatbot to answer employee questions about corporate policies in plain language.
- Custom Prompts & AI-Powered Insights – Tailored prompts to check plausibility or identify recurring pain points across thousands of cases.
🧠 Treat AI Like an Intern—Not a Compliance Officer
Keith captured it perfectly:
“Treat GenAI like an intern—it can draft the report, but you still need to check the work.”
This human-in-the-loop approach is critical. AI can flag patterns and generate drafts, but compliance professionals provide the context and judgment that can’t be automated. As Moritz Homann, Director of Product Innovation at EQS, put it:
“Even the people who build these models don’t have a full understanding of what will come out of them. So just get your hands dirty and see where it goes.”
✅ Strategic Questions for Compliance Teams
- The webinar also raised key questions for compliance leaders to consider:What oversight structures should be in place before deploying AI?
Are compliance leaders involved early enough in AI discussions?
What small, low-risk pilots can you launch this quarter?
How will you measure success—beyond just efficiency gains?As Keith noted:
“We have to be able to change with the world—and be flexible. Start with a problem statement and a clear objective. Use the data you already have.
🧩 The Evolving Role of Compliance
One of the most powerful takeaways from this session was that compliance teams have an opportunity to lead the conversation around responsible AI. It’s not just a technical issue—it’s a strategic and cultural one. Compliance has a seat at the table to ensure that AI supports ethics, transparency, and organizational integrity.
🏁 Final Thought: Progress Over Perfection
At EQS, we believe that AI should be practical. It should solve real problems—automate the busywork, amplify the insights, and make it easier for your team to do what they do best. You don’t have to be perfect to begin. You just have to start.
🎥 Watch the Replay
📘 Learn more about EQS’s Compliance Cockpit
🖋️ Register for the EQS Summer Webinar Series
