Initiatives are maturing from pilots and proofs of concept to targeted, enterprise-wide strategies
IBM (NYSE: IBM) has released its expectations for technology and transformation in the global financial services industry in the coming year, as outlined in a report IBM Institute for Business Value 2025 Outlook for Banking and Financial Markets.
Key Insights
- The adoption of generative AI is poised to skyrocket. Only 81% of banks have systematically developed generative AI by 2024, while 78% have approached it tactically. As banks move from pilots to execution, they are increasingly redefining their strategies to expand services, including the adoption of AI agents.
- The ongoing convergence of banking is giving rise to contrasting financial performances. Reimagining the business model and processes, and most importantly, their execution, will be the differentiator between leaders and the rest.
- 60% of the banking CEOs interviewed acknowledge that they need to accept some level of risk to take advantage of automation and increase competitiveness.
- While more than 16% of customers worldwide are comfortable with a fully digital, branchless bank as their primary financial institution, competition is shifting from mass-market digital offerings to higher-value services, including embedded finance and advisory services for high-net-worth investors and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
“We are seeing a significant shift in how generative AI is being implemented in banking, as institutions move from broad experimentation to a strategic approach focused on targeted applications of this powerful technology,” said Shanker Ramamurthy, managing director, Banking and Financial Markets, IBM Consulting. “As banks and other financial institutions around the world prepare for a pivotal year of investment in transformation, technology and talent, we anticipate their efforts will focus on using generative AI to enhance the customer experience, increase operational efficiency, reduce risk and modernize IT infrastructure.”
The report shares insights from industry thought leadership sentiment analysis, banking customer behavior, and economic data from eight major markets — the United States, Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, China, India, and Japan — and what financial institutions and their partners can learn from these trends.
For more information and to download the full report, visit: https://ibm.co/2025-banking-financial-markets-outlook.
About IBM
IBM is a leading global provider of hybrid cloud and AI, and expert consulting. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs, and gain competitive advantage 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 quickly, efficiently, and securely impact their digital transformations. IBM’s advanced innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions, and consulting deliver open and flexible options for our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s legendary commitment to trust, transparency, accountability, inclusion, and services. Visit www.ibm.com for more information.
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