IBM Study: Gen AI Will Elevate Financial Performance of Banks in 2025
IBM has released its annual banking outlook report for 2025, highlighting significant shifts in generative AI adoption within the financial services industry. The study reveals that while only 8% of banks were systematically developing generative AI in 2024, with 78% taking a tactical approach, this is expected to change dramatically in 2025.
Key findings show that 60% of banking CEOs acknowledge the need to accept some risk to leverage automation advantages. Over 16% of clients globally are comfortable with fully digital banking relationships, while competition is evolving toward higher-value services, including embedded finance and advisory services for affluent investors and SMEs.
The report analyzes data from eight major markets: the United States, Canada, European Union, United Kingdom, Japan, China, and India, focusing on C-suite leader sentiment, customer behavior, and economic trends.
IBM ha pubblicato il suo rapporto annuale sulle prospettive bancarie per il 2025, evidenziando notevoli cambiamenti nell'adozione dell'AI generativa all'interno del settore dei servizi finanziari. Lo studio rivela che, sebbene solo l'8% delle banche stesse sviluppando sistematicamente l'AI generativa nel 2024, il 78% stesse adottando un approccio tattico, si prevede che questo cambi in modo drammatico nel 2025.
I risultati chiave mostrano che il 60% dei CEO bancari riconosce la necessità di accettare alcuni rischi per sfruttare i vantaggi dell'automazione. Oltre il 16% dei clienti a livello globale si sente a proprio agio con relazioni bancarie completamente digitali, mentre la concorrenza si evolve verso servizi di maggior valore, inclusi la finanza integrata e i servizi di consulenza per investitori facoltosi e PMI.
Il rapporto analizza i dati di otto principali mercati: Stati Uniti, Canada, Unione Europea, Regno Unito, Giappone, Cina e India, concentrandosi sul sentimento dei leader C-suite, sul comportamento dei clienti e sulle tendenze economiche.
IBM ha publicado su informe anual sobre las perspectivas bancarias para 2025, destacando cambios significativos en la adopción de la IA generativa dentro de la industria de servicios financieros. El estudio revela que, aunque solo el 8% de los bancos estaba desarrollando sistemáticamente la IA generativa en 2024, el 78% estaba tomando un enfoque táctico, se espera que esto cambie drásticamente en 2025.
Los hallazgos clave muestran que el 60% de los CEO bancarios reconocen la necesidad de aceptar ciertos riesgos para aprovechar las ventajas de la automatización. Más del 16% de los clientes a nivel global se siente cómodo con relaciones bancarias completamente digitales, mientras que la competencia está evolucionando hacia servicios de mayor valor, incluyendo finanzas integradas y servicios de asesoría para inversores adinerados y pymes.
El informe analiza datos de ocho mercados principales: Estados Unidos, Canadá, Unión Europea, Reino Unido, Japón, China y la India, centrándose en el sentimiento de los líderes C-suite, el comportamiento del cliente y las tendencias económicas.
IBM은 2025년 은행 전망 보고서를 발표하며 금융 서비스 산업 내 생성형 AI 채택의 주요 변화를 강조했습니다. 연구에 따르면, 2024년에는 단지 8%의 은행만이 생성형 AI를 체계적으로 개발하고 있었고, 78%는 전술적 접근 방식을 취하고 있었지만, 2025년에는 이 상황이 크게 변화할 것으로 예상됩니다.
주요 발견에 따르면 60%의 은행 CEO들은 자동화의 이점을 활용하기 위해 어느 정도의 위험을 감수해야 할 필요성을 인정하고 있습니다. 전 세계적으로 16% 이상의 고객이 완전 디지털 은행 관계에 편안함을 느끼고 있으며, 경쟁은 통합 금융 및 자산가 및 중소기업을 위한 자문 서비스와 같은 고부가가치 서비스로 진화하고 있습니다.
이 보고서는 미국, 캐나다, 유럽 연합, 영국, 일본, 중국 및 인도 등 8개 주요 시장의 데이터를 분석하며, C-suite 리더의 감정, 고객 행동 및 경제 동향에 초점을 맞추고 있습니다.
IBM a publié son rapport annuel sur les perspectives bancaires pour 2025, mettant en lumière des changements significatifs dans l'adoption de l'IA générative au sein de l'industrie des services financiers. L'étude révèle que bien que seulement 8 % des banques développaient systématiquement l'IA générative en 2024, avec 78 % adoptant une approche tactique, cette situation devrait changer de manière spectaculaire en 2025.
Les principales conclusions montrent que 60 % des PDG bancaires reconnaissent la nécessité d'accepter un certain risque pour tirer parti des avantages de l'automatisation. Plus de 16 % des clients au niveau mondial se sentent à l'aise avec des relations bancaires entièrement numériques, tandis que la concurrence évolue vers des services à plus forte valeur ajoutée, y compris la finance intégrée et des services de conseil pour les investisseurs fortunés et les PME.
Le rapport analyse des données provenant de huit marchés majeurs : les États-Unis, le Canada, l'Union européenne, le Royaume-Uni, le Japon, la Chine et l'Inde, en se concentrant sur le sentiment des dirigeants de la C-suite, le comportement des clients et les tendances économiques.
IBM hat seinen jährlichen Bankausblick für 2025 veröffentlicht und erhebliche Veränderungen bei der Akzeptanz von generativer KI in der Finanzdienstleistungsbranche hervorgehoben. Die Studie zeigt, dass im Jahr 2024 nur 8 % der Banken systematisch generative KI entwickelten, während 78 % einen taktischen Ansatz verfolgten; dies wird sich jedoch im Jahr 2025 dramatisch ändern.
Wesentliche Ergebnisse zeigen, dass 60 % der Bank-CEOs die Notwendigkeit anerkennen, ein gewisses Risiko einzugehen, um die Vorteile der Automatisierung zu nutzen. Über 16 % der Kunden weltweit fühlen sich mit vollständig digitalen Bankbeziehungen wohl, während der Wettbewerb sich zunehmend in Richtung höherwertiger Dienstleistungen wie eingebettete Finanzen und Beratungsdienste für vermögende Investoren und KMU entwickelt.
Der Bericht analysiert Daten aus acht wichtigen Märkten: den Vereinigten Staaten, Kanada, der Europäischen Union, dem Vereinigten Königreich, Japan, China und Indien und konzentriert sich auf die Stimmung von C-suite Führungskräften, das Kundenverhalten und wirtschaftliche Trends.
- Expected significant increase in systematic generative AI adoption from current 8% level
- Shift towards higher-value services including embedded finance and advisory services
- 16% of global clients already comfortable with fully digital banking
- Only 8% of banks currently have systematic generative AI development
- 60% of CEOs must accept increased risk levels for automation advantages
Insights
The banking sector is approaching a pivotal inflection point in AI adoption that could significantly impact IBM's market position and revenue streams. The shift from experimental to strategic AI deployment (only 8% systematic adoption in 2024) represents a massive untapped market opportunity, particularly as 78% of banks are still in tactical implementation phases.
Two critical trends emerge that directly affect IBM's business prospects: First, the transition from mass-market digital services to higher-value offerings, including embedded finance and advisory services, aligns perfectly with IBM's enterprise AI and consulting capabilities. Second, the acknowledgment by 60% of banking CEOs that risk-taking is necessary for automation advantages indicates a growing willingness to invest in transformative technologies.
The report reveals a widening performance gap between banks based on their execution of digital transformation initiatives. This divergence creates a compelling business case for IBM's comprehensive suite of services, from AI implementation to infrastructure modernization. The focus on both operational efficiency and customer experience enhancement through AI suggests multiple revenue streams across IBM's consulting and technology divisions.
From an investor perspective, this report signals strong potential for IBM's financial services vertical, particularly given the company's established presence in all eight major markets studied. The emphasis on systematic, enterprise-wide AI adoption rather than tactical implementations suggests longer-term, higher-value contracts that could provide more stable and predictable revenue streams for IBM's consulting and technology services.
Initiatives are maturing from pilots and proofs of concept to targeted, enterprise-wide strategies
Key Insights
- Gen AI adoption is set to soar. Only
8% of banks were developing generative AI systematically in 2024, and78% had a tactical approach. As banks move from pilots to execution, more are redefining their strategic approach to service expansion, including agentic AI. - Steady banking convergence is giving way to contrasting financial performance. Re-imagining the business model/processes and, importantly, execution will separate the winners from the rest.
60% of banking CEOs surveyed acknowledge they must accept some level of risk to harness automation advantages and enhance competitiveness.1- While over
16% of clients worldwide are comfortable with a branchless, fully digital bank as their primary banking relationship, competition is shifting from mass market digital offers to higher-value services, including embedded finance and advisory services to affluent investors and small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs).
"We are seeing a significant shift in how generative AI is being deployed across the banking industry as institutions shift from broad experimentation to a strategic enterprise approach that prioritizes targeted applications of this powerful technology," said Shanker Ramamurthy, IBM Consulting's Global Managing Director Banking & Financial Markets. "As banks and other financial institutions around the world gear up for a pivotal year of investing in transformation, technology, and talent, we anticipate their efforts coalescing around initiatives using generative AI to level up customer experience, boost operational efficiency, reduce risks and modernize IT infrastructure."
The report shares insights from analysis of industry C-suite leader sentiment, bank customer behavior and economic data from eight major markets—the
For additional perspective and to download the full report, visit https://ibm.co/2025-banking-financial-markets-outlook.
1. 6 Hard Truths CEOs Must Face: How to Leap Forward with Courage and Conviction in the Generative AI Era. IBM Institute for Business Value. May 2024. https://ibm.co/c-suite-study-ceo |
IBM is a leading provider of enterprise AI, hybrid cloud architecture, security and ESG insights to the global financial services sector. Its deep industry expertise, extensive portfolio of services and solutions, and its robust ecosystem of fintech partners, empower collaboration, innovation, and creation with clients. As a trusted partner to banks, insurers, capital markets and payments providers, IBM guides financial institutions on all stages of their digital transformation journeys through IBM Consulting and delivers the proven infrastructure, software, and services they need through IBM Technology. For more information, visit www.ibm.com/industries/banking-financial-markets.
The IBM Institute for Business Value, IBM's thought leadership think tank, combines global research and performance data with expertise from industry thinkers and leading academics to deliver insights that make business leaders smarter. For more world-class thought leadership, visit www.ibm.com/ibv.
About IBM
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. Visit www.ibm.com for more information.
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FAQ
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