Transcend's New Report Uncovers the Strategic Power of Consent Data in AI-Driven Enterprise Growth

Once relegated to the fine print of compliance departments, consent and preference management has officially entered the C-suite. According to a new report from Transcend, the privacy infrastructure company behind some of the world’s top digital brands, organizations that prioritize user consent as infrastructure—not just as a checkbox—are unlocking major gains in revenue, personalization, and customer trust.

The report, titled "Hidden in Plain Sight: How Enterprises are Driving Revenue, Trust, and Digital Transformation Through Integrated Consent and Preference Management", reveals a clear consensus among global enterprise leaders: permissioned data is now strategic fuel for AI, digital innovation, and long-term growth.

“The real opportunity lies in how businesses operationalize permissioned data for their growth strategies,” said Ben Brook, CEO and Co-founder of Transcend.

Consent Is the New Competitive Edge

Transcend, in partnership with UserEvidence, surveyed 265 executives across privacy, security, and marketing functions from Global 2000 firms. The findings are both timely and eye-opening:

• 100% of executives said consented data improves their ability to launch new products and services

• More than 50% rely on this data for AI, personalization, and digital innovation

• 70% struggle to distribute consent and preferences across complex data ecosystems

• 66% say integrated consent improves user experience personalization

• 65% cite increased customer loyalty and trust as a direct result of consent-based strategies

• 60% see better data quality, and 49% report higher opt-in rates

The disconnect? While companies recognize the strategic importance of consent data, many still lack the infrastructure to operationalize it at scale.

Why It Matters: Privacy Teams Are Now Growth Partners

In the early days of privacy regulation, consent management lived solely in the realm of risk mitigation. Then marketing entered the picture—mostly to keep web performance intact while adding cookie banners. But now, as AI and personalization dominate digital priorities, the responsibility has shifted again.

Today’s privacy leaders are being asked to enable—not block—innovation.

“Privacy and security teams are often seen as barriers to AI because of regulatory friction,” said Ryan O’Leary, Research Director at IDC. “But companies with robust consent systems can flip that narrative—and actually drive responsible AI adoption.”

Personalized Growth, Powered by Permission

The findings reinforce broader industry trends. McKinsey reports that fast-growing companies generate 40% more revenue from personalization, while Forrester shows that strategies informed by consent and preferences reduce acquisition costs by 83% and boost conversions by 73%.

Transcend’s report adds fresh urgency: enterprises that fail to integrate consent into their digital infrastructure won’t just fall behind in compliance—they’ll miss out on performance.

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