The compliance blind spot in quoting and contracting 

The EU AI Act sets a new standard for how organisations govern AI used across their commercial operations. Expectations for accuracy, transparency and accountability are rising at a time when many businesses are still clarifying where AI sits across their systems.  

To understand how prepared organisations currently feel, Conga has gathered new insights from leaders across the UK, Germany and France. The findings point to strong confidence at a headline level yet also show where businesses lack visibility and control within their commercial workflows.

What leaders across Europe are reporting

Conga’s survey of 1,500 business leaders across the UK, Germany and France reveals strong confidence in EU AI Act readiness. The UK reports the highest level at 89%, followed by Germany at 82% and France at 68%.  

Confidence alone, however, does not reflect the pressures many organisations are navigating behind the scenes. In the UK, 30% of respondents say their organisation has faced fines or penalties linked to regulatory or tariff changes in the past year, and 40% have had to rework contract terms as those changes reached commercial agreements.  

While Germany and France report fewer penalties, both markets are increasing compliance staffing as they update internal processes ahead of the EU AI Act.

How AI shapes commercial workflows

AI already influences CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) and CLM (Contract Lifecycle Management) workflows more than many leaders realise. These systems guide how proposals are built, how prices are set and how obligations pass between parties.  

When AI supports a recommendation or approval, organisations need to show how that decision was formed. This level of oversight becomes essential under the EU AI Act, especially as quoting and contracting sit within the high-risk category.  

Spencer Earp, SVP EMEA at Conga, says: “Too many organisations still treat quoting and contracting as background administration, when in reality they decide how revenue is generated, how supply chains are managed and where regulatory exposure sits. As rules continue to tighten, these systems are fast becoming a test of how connected and transparent a business really is. Getting this right will decide which organisations can keep business moving under greater volatility, whether that’s economic or regulatory, and which risk losing ground.”

Why quoting and contracting matter most

CPQ and CLM set the foundation for how organisations manage revenue, obligations and risk. These workflows shape proposals, pricing and terms, which means any AI involved in these steps must be transparent and explainable.

Pressure builds when teams work from disconnected systems or when ownership is spread across multiple functions. These gaps weaken information flow between sales, legal and revenue teams as regulatory expectations rise.

Strengthening governance across these workflows helps reduce that exposure and supports more reliable decision-making.

What comes next

As high-risk AI requirements move closer, organisations need a clearer view of where AI sits within CPQ and CLM and the documentation to show how each decision is formed. These workflows already carry significant influence over pricing, terms and obligations, so preparation relies on understanding how they operate today.

Many teams are still uncovering where automation shapes pricing, clause creation and approvals. Having a more complete picture helps businesses determine what will need to be recorded and governed under the Act.

Closer alignment across sales, legal and revenue operations then become important. Quoting and contracting often sit in separate systems, which means activity moves through different controls. When ownership is brought together, the path from proposal to contract becomes easier to follow and oversight is more consistent.

Strong data foundations support everything that follows. Information generated in CPQ flows directly into binding agreements, so any inconsistencies travel with it. Regular training, audits and system updates help keep this data reliable and ensure governance keeps pace with new requirements.

Start preparing today

Conga’s whitepaper sets out the full survey results from the UK, Germany and France and outlines the practical steps teams can take to strengthen readiness sooner rather than later. Read the full EU AI act whitepaper to learn more here.