AI-powered compliance delivers a range of tangible benefits, especially for software companies navigating fast growth and complex regulatory environments.

1. Drastically Reduces Audit Time 

Automation can reduce time-to-audit by up to 60%. By generating documentation and collecting evidence automatically, companies can prepare for audits in weeks instead of months.

2. Lowers Audit Stress

Continuous monitoring means compliance is maintained day-to-day, not just before audits. This reduces last-minute scrambles and audit fatigue.

3. Reduces Human Errors

Manual compliance processes are prone to human error, which can delay certification or cause failures. AI eliminates inconsistencies by enforcing standardized processes and automatically validating controls.

4. Boosts Developer Productivity

By automating administrative compliance tasks, engineers and DevOps teams can focus on innovation and product development rather than paperwork.

5. Helps Your Company Gain Competitive Advantage

Security certifications like ISO 27001 and SOC 2 are now prerequisites for enterprise partnerships and international expansion. AI-enabled compliance helps companies meet these requirements faster and more reliably.

6. Easy To Scale and Adjust To Regulatory Changes 

As startups scale, compliance complexity grows. AI platforms scale alongside your business, adapting to new regulations and operational changes without overwhelming your team.

Historically, compliance software and consulting have been accessible primarily to large enterprises with deep pockets. Small and mid-sized companies often resorted to ad hoc or reactive compliance efforts, increasing risk and limiting growth.

AI is democratizing compliance by making it more affordable and accessible.

• Affordable Subscription Models:

Platforms like Smartly offer scalable subscription pricing, eliminating large upfront investments. This lowers the barrier to entry for startups and SMEs.

• Reduced Reliance on Consultants:

By automating complex compliance tasks, AI reduces the need for expensive external advisors, saving thousands of dollars annually.

• Faster Time-to-Contract:

Compliance delays can stall deals with enterprise clients. AI-enabled compliance accelerates certification, helping startups close contracts faster.

• Financial Impact:

According to LexisNexis, financial crime compliance costs in Asia-Pacific have reached $45 billion annually, with technology spending expected to grow significantly. AI-enabled compliance can reduce total cost of ownership by up to 30%, while increasing audit success rates.

AI-enabled compliance platforms like Smartly support a broad spectrum of security and privacy requirements, offering practical solutions for software companies.

• ISO 27001 Compliance:

Smartly maps your organizational controls directly to ISO Annex A requirements, highlighting gaps and providing actionable templates for corrective actions. Automated document collection and audit trails simplify the certification process.

• SOC 2 Type II Compliance:

Smartly integrates with your infrastructure and tools to gather evidence continuously over the required monitoring period. This ensures logs, policies, and procedures are always audit-ready, reducing the risk of non-compliance.

• Due Diligence and Investor Readiness:

Smartly’s centralized compliance dashboards provide real-time visibility into your security posture, enabling you to demonstrate maturity and readiness during VC funding rounds, M&A processes, or B2B client evaluations.