New technology moves fast, and it is easy to get caught up in adoption before fully thinking through the risks. While new tools can improve efficiency and performance, they can also create compliance challenges that may not become apparent right away. That is why compliance teams play a critical role in slowing things down to ask the right questions. Taking this step early helps organizations move forward with more confidence.

1. How Secure and Reliable Is the Vendor?

When evaluating new technology,  IT must do more than focus on what the platform can do. Compliance teams also need to understand who is behind it and how seriously they take security. A vendor may offer all the right features, but if their security practices are weak, they can expose the entity to risks that are difficult to control once the tool is in place.

This risk is more common than many might expect. According to studies, 50% of companies have been affected by third-party attacks. That is how often security issues come from vendors rather than internal systems. This makes it important to ask practical questions about:

• How data is stored
• Who has access to it
• How often are systems tested
• What happens if something goes wrong

Reviewing security certifications, audit reports and breach history can separate vendors that prioritize security from those that only claim to. Reliability should be part of the same conversation.

Compliance teams should look at whether the vendor can consistently support the technology over time. Uptime commitments, incident response timelines and support responsiveness all factor into whether a vendor is truly dependable or likely to create compliance headaches down the road. 

2. How Will Our Data Be Handled and Protected?

Any time a new technology emerges, data quickly becomes part of the equation, and compliance teams need clarity on what happens to it once it leaves their environment. This means understanding what data is collected, where it lives, who can access it and how it is protected day to day. Without that vital information, even well-intentioned technology decisions can introduce compliance gaps.

This question becomes even more important when data is stored or processed in the cloud. Cloud-based systems depend heavily on internet connectivity and third-party infrastructure, which can affect availability and control during outages or service disruptions. When data is hosted off-site, compliance teams should ask how it is encrypted, how access is managed and what safeguards are in place if systems go down.

Beyond security controls, they should understand how long data is retained, how it is deleted, and whether it is shared with subcontractors or stored across regions. Clear answers around privacy obligations and breach notification processes help ensure the business stays compliant long after the technology is implemented.

3. Is the AI Fair and Transparent?

When AI is part of a new technology, compliance teams need to look beyond performance and ask how decisions are made. If a system influences hiring, lending, customer interactions or risk scoring, it is important to understand what data it is trained on and whether the data could introduce bias. Without transparency, brands may struggle to explain outcomes or identify issues when something feels off. 

Fairness also depends on whether the AI can be monitored and challenged. Compliance teams should ask if the vendor can explain how the model works at a high level, how decisions can be audited and what steps are taken to test bias over time. If the AI is a “black box,” it becomes much harder to catch discriminatory patterns.

Transparency does not mean exposing proprietary algorithms, but it does mean having clear documentation, governance processes and human oversight. Knowing when humans can intervene and how errors are corrected ensures the AI is being used responsibly.

4. Is the Technology Accessible to Everyone?

Accessibility often gets overlooked during tech adoption, but it has real compliance and usability implications. New tools should work for everyone who needs to use them, including employees, customers and partners with disabilities. If a system is inaccessible, it can create barriers that limit participation, reduce productivity or even expose organizations to regulatory risk.

According to the CDC, one in four adults in the U.S. lives with a disability, meaning inaccessible technology can affect a significant portion of users. Compliance teams should ask whether the tool supports:

• Screen readers
• Keyboard navigation
• Captions
• Color contrast standards
• Other accessibility best practices. 

It is also worth confirming whether accessibility was built into the product from the start or added as an afterthought.

5. How Do We Build Compliance Into Our Process?

Compliance works best when it is part of the process from the beginning. When compliance teams are brought in early, they can help identify risks, ask the right questions and shape requirements. This approach makes it easier to address issues up front.

Building compliance into the process also means creating clear checkpoints as the technology moves from evaluation to implementation. Risk assessments, documentation reviews and approval workflows ensure security, privacy, accessibility and ethical considerations are consistently addressed. These steps do not have to slow things down, but they do help create accountability and a shared understanding of who owns which compliance responsibilities.

6. How Do We Manage Risk for the Long Term?

Managing risk continues once leaders approve and roll out a new technology. Over time, systems change, vendors update their platforms and regulations evolve, which can introduce new risks. Long-term risk means having processes in place to reassess how the technology is performing, how it is being used, and whether it still aligns with internal policies and regulatory expectations.

Ongoing oversight is especially important because many security and compliance issues emerge well after implementation. According to Verizon’s 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report, software vulnerabilities were used as the initial access point in 20% of data breaches, so unmanaged or evolving risks can lead to real-world incidents. Regular reviews, vulnerability management, vendor check-ins and clear response plans help entities catch issues early and adapt before small gaps turn into larger compliance or security problems.

Moving Forward With Confidence

Adopting new technology does not have to mean taking on unnecessary risk. When compliance teams ask the right questions early and stay involved over time, brands are better able to adopt innovation responsibly.