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Latest benchmarking
Economists devote up to half of working hours to research
Higher-paid research economists tend to spend more time on own research
Dedicated data units widely used in economics departments
Teams make use of varied microdata in their work
Central banks predict growth more accurately than inflation
AI models may offer more precise forecasts
AI impact and usage growing in central bank economics departments
Regional variation exists, but adoption is increasing across the board
Most key projection models capture policy rates
But respondents rarely disclose policy rate forecasts alongside scenarios
Inter-bank working groups
Facilitating connections between central bankers across the globe to promote the exchange of expertise and support collaboration.
Upcoming meetings include: Cyber risk management, social media in communications and upgrading forecast models.
Model banks
Supervision Benchmarks 2026 – model banks analysis
Payments Benchmarks 2026 – model banks analysis
Strategic Planning Benchmarks 2026 – model banks analysis
Governance Benchmarks 2026 – model banks analysis
Fintech Benchmarks 2026 – model banks analysis
Risk Management Benchmarks 2026 – model banks analysis
Communications Benchmarks 2025 – model banks analysis
Monetary Policy Benchmarks 2025 – model banks analysis
Reserve Benchmarks 2025 – model banks analysis
Financial Stability Benchmarks 2025 – model banks analysis
Supervision Benchmarks 2025 – model banks analysis
Payments Benchmarks 2025 – model banks analysis
Charts
Rise of AI in supervision
Use of artificial intelligence in supervision has surged from around a quarter of institutions in the 2025 benchmark to three-quarters in 2026. The foremost area of AI application among supervisors is summarisation (62.9%). Over half of respondents also indicated use of the technology for document preparation (57.1%). Larger supervisory teams are more likely to deploy AI tools.
Reports
Supervision Benchmarks 2026 report – AI and data
Payments Benchmarks 2026 report – upgrades and alignment
Strategic Planning Benchmarks 2026 report – digital strategy
Governance Benchmarks 2026 – legal matters
Fintech Benchmarks 2026 report – the digital asset race
Risk Management Benchmarks 2026 report – tracking op risk
Cross-Benchmarks Staffing Report 2025: tackling shortages
Communications Benchmarks 2025 report – getting social
Cross-Benchmarks AI Report 2025: a question of creative destruction
Monetary Policy Benchmarks 2025 report – risk-based policy
Reserve Benchmarks 2025 report – tariff realignment?
Financial Stability Benchmarks 2025 report – the threat from tariffs
Benchmarks
Communications
Currency
Economics
Financial Stability
Fintech
Governance
Monetary Policy
Payments
Reserves
Risk Management
Strategic Planning
Supervision
Third of key models now employ endogenous financial sector
Multiple channels of monetary transmission rooted in majority models
Central banks complement traditional models with AI
Time series and semi-structural models remain economists’ choices for forecasting
Working paper production linked to number of PhD economists
Central banks averaged output of roughly 10 working papers last year
Third of economics departments say staffing ‘barely sufficient’
Forecasting, policy analysis and research are economists’ top duties