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Economics Benchmarks 2026 report – advanced analytics
The Economics Benchmarks 2026 show that economics departments at central banks are responding to wider global narratives: interest in artificial intelligence and geopolitical risk is on the rise. The presence of AI in particular is being felt more than ever. When asked how much AI was impacting their work, respondents gave an average score of three out of five, an increase of nearly 50% on 2023 and 2024.
Economics Benchmarks 2026 – model banks analysis
Additional data breakdowns shed light on staffing, model types and AI usage
Economics departments use multiple coding languages
More than half of central banks use five or more coding languages and tools
Geopolitics is fastest-rising research topic for economists
Research economists are most widely judged on their output of papers
Economists devote up to half of working hours to research
Higher-paid research economists tend to spend more time on own research
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
Economics Benchmarks 2026 – model banks analysis
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
Charts
Geopolitics in focus
Though inflation dynamics are still seen as the most important topic overall, geopolitical risk saw the biggest change relative to the previous benchmark, from 2024. On a five-point scale, economics departments rated geopolitics 3.9 on average in 2026, a rise of 0.6 percentage points relative to 2024. No other topic rose by more than 0.2pp.
Reports
Economics Benchmarks 2026 report – advanced analytics
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?
Benchmarks
Communications
Currency
Economics
Financial Stability
Fintech
Governance
Monetary Policy
Payments
Reserves
Risk Management
Strategic Planning
Supervision
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