The digital transformation has ceased to be an option to become a matter of survival to stop banking. However, despite the enthusiasm for generative AI, its benefits still do not end up materializing. This is revealed by the new report Intelligent Banking: The Future Aheadprepared by SAS and The Economist Impact, which throws a worrying conclusion: more than half of the banking managers globally admits that their projects with AI have not generated tangible benefits.
Far from stopping adoption, this finding has led many entities to rethink their strategies. The report, based on a survey of 1,700 banks and fintechs executives around the world, shows that 90% of respondents have already implemented some form of generative. Technology is transforming key functions such as fraud detection and risk analysis, but its effective deployment requires more than advanced algorithms: demand vision, governance and cultural adaptation.
In an environment dominated by economic volatility, cybersecurity is emerging as the great open front. According to the report, 80% of financial leaders anticipate that cyber attacks and financial crimes will be their main threats during the next decade. Artificial intelligence appears here as an essential ally to strengthen defense against sophisticated threats such as Deepfakes.
“IA can generate more agile operations and personalized experiences, but also raises ethical, operational and regulatory risks,” warns Melanie Noronha, an analyst at Economist Impact, who underlines the need for balance between innovation and responsibility.
A vision shared by Mónica Gutiérrez, Private Sector Sales Manager in SAS for Spain: “The future does not expect, nor should bank leaders do. Those who integrate artificial intelligence strategically and bet on responsible innovation will not only overcome current challenges, but also lead the redefinition of an industry in full evolution.”
The five levers not to be left behind
More than a technical challenge, the real challenge lies in how to climb the use of AI within organizations. The report identifies five keys that will make a difference between those who lead the change and those who suffer it:
- Strategic alliances With Fintechs and great technological to expand capabilities.
- Ethical governance of data and artificial intelligence, as a basis for trust.
- Customer Transparency and Protectionespecially in the management of personal data.
- Regulatory automationas a way to comply with increasingly demanding regulations.
- Technological and talent modernizationto accelerate innovation without friction.
Towards a regulated innovation
The report also highlights an optimistic turn: 68% of respondents believe that new regulations on AI, Blockchain And open bench are not a brake, but a stimulus for a more responsible innovation. Banks such as Standard Chartered or DBS Bank are already adopting specific governance models that allow progress without giving up transparency and security.
Faced with a volatile interest rates and liquidity restrictions, banks that best take advantage of the potential of artificial intelligence will be those that know how to integrate it into a long -term resilience strategy. The era of the “smart bank” is already underway, but it is still about to be seen who will capitalize on it.
