TrustArc's 2025 Benchmarks Report: Privacy Leaders Are Outpacing Peers by 16 Points - Here's How

AI is privacy's greatest challenge, but for high-performing organizations, it's also their edge.

SAN FRANCISCO, June 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- TrustArc, the privacy platform for navigating global compliance and AI risk, today released its 6th Annual Global Privacy Benchmarks Report, a comprehensive study revealing how organizations are navigating rising regulatory demands, AI-driven risk, and stakeholder expectations. Based on survey responses from 1,775 professionals across industries and geographies, the report reveals a sharp divide between companies stuck in reactive mode and those driving results through strong governance, measurable KPIs, and a privacy-forward culture.

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly reshaping the privacy landscape, introducing new layers of complexity, risk, and accountability. The newly released 2025 TrustArc Global Privacy Benchmarks Report reveals that technology is creating a sharp divide between organizations that are proactively preparing for AI-era regulations and those that are falling behind. The report finds that while AI presents significant privacy challenges, those that are proactively prepared for AI have built strong programs through cross-functional alignment and robust frameworks for governance. For privacy leaders, AI is no longer just a compliance hurdle, the data shows that proactive privacy programs not only mitigate AI risk but also boost overall program performance.

AI-competent privacy leaders turn risk into opportunity through well-defined tools like data mapping, privacy certifications, and Trust Centers.

Key Findings from the 2025 Global Privacy Benchmarks Survey:

• AI Is Privacy's Top Risk—And Those Prepared Turn Readiness into Opportunity 

AI tops the list of challenges for privacy teams, with 47% naming it their biggest hurdle and 28% reporting AI-related vulnerabilities. Yet, companies with high AI Governance Readiness outperform by 16 points on the Privacy Index, showing that readiness turns risk into advantage. What sets them apart? Core implementations like cross-functional AI alignment, data mapping, Trust Centers, and third-party certifications.

• Privacy Leadership Has a Formula

High-performing organizations share a common blueprint: centralized teams, principles-based compliance, and adherence to trusted frameworks like Nymity Privacy Management Accountability Framework (PMAF) and APEC CBPR drive competence scores up 14 points above average.

• Measurement and Automation Drive Competence

82% of organizations now measure their privacy programs, resulting in competence scores 13 points above the average. Accountability approaches, including privacy-by-design and automated controls, are linked to the highest competence scores (72%).

• Small Businesses Make Big Privacy Moves

Privacy Offices are now standard: adoption among small companies (<$50M) surged from 31% to 87% in one year, close to the 91%+ of medium to large-sized companies. This marks a shift toward privacy as a baseline business requirement, not a luxury.

• Brand Trust Leads Motivation for Compliance But Execution Gaps Persist

While 88% of respondents identified brand trust as the primary advantage of privacy initiatives, 46% of companies have implemented four or fewer out of nine potential privacy solutions. This disparity between the desire for strong privacy practices and their actual implementation presents an opportunity for organizations to enhance their privacy leadership through comprehensive deployment of end-to-end privacy software.

"This year's data shows a widening divide between companies that view privacy as a strategic asset and those still struggling to keep up," said Jason Wesbecher, CEO of TrustArc. "The rise of AI, new regulations, and heightened consumer expectations make privacy performance measurable and central to brand trust. This report gives organizations a clear path to improve outcomes and build trust in a high-stakes digital world."

Get the insights shaping the future of privacy leadership today. Download the 2025 Global Privacy Benchmarks Report to read a detailed analysis of industry trends, best practices, and performance indicators across sectors and regions.

Download the full report here.

For more information about TrustArc, please visit trustarc.com or contact [email protected].

About TrustArc

TrustArc is redefining privacy for the AI era. With 28+ years of global privacy expertise and assurance services, we deliver the only platform that blends regulatory intelligence, automation, and AI to orchestrate end-to-end data privacy and governance. From automated DSR fulfillment to AI risk assessments and real-time compliance reporting, TrustArc helps organizations embed trust at every touchpoint. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with a global footprint, our privacy-first approach powers responsible innovation while reducing risk, ensuring our customers lead with confidence in a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape. Discover how at www.trustarc.com.

About the Benchmarks Report

Now in its sixth year, the TrustArc Global Privacy Benchmarks Report captures insights from 1,775 professionals across the U.S., Europe, the UK, and Canada. Designed to provide a 360-degree perspective, the study is weighted by company size, geography, and primary roles - including executives, managers, full-time (non-managerial) employees, as well as privacy executives and team members. Commissioned by TrustArc and conducted independently by Golfdale Consulting, the report offers a comprehensive view into the evolving priorities, practices, and performance of privacy programs worldwide.

About Golfdale Consulting

Golfdale Consulting Inc., trusted advisors to growth-focused business leaders. Golfdale's expertise spans three critical areas: global market research and insights, analytics strategies and application of decision sciences, and advocacy for evidence-based regulatory reform and market impact. Golfdale Consulting

SOURCE TrustArc