Financial Institutions Race to Scale AI as Trust and Governance Become Critical Tests

World Economic Forum, [email protected]

Dalian, People's Republic of China, 24 June 2026 - Financial institutions are moving rapidly from artificial intelligence (AI) experimentation to broader use in their organizations, putting trust, governance and human oversight at the centre of the industry's next phase of AI adoption, according to a new World Economic Forum report released today at the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2026.

Developed in collaboration with Accenture, The AI Playbook for Financial Services is grounded in case studies and draws on 18 months of roundtables and interviews with more than 150 senior leaders from over 100 organizations. Roundtables took place in Hong Kong, London, New York and Singapore.

As firms move beyond pilots, success will depend on combining speed with security, redesigning how work gets done and keeping human judgment at the core.

"The most successful organizations are approaching AI by focusing on two priorities at once," said Drew Propson, Head of Technology and Innovation in Financial Services, World Economic Forum. "They are delivering immediate value through productivity gains, improved customer experiences and operational efficiencies, while simultaneously investing in the data, governance and technology foundations needed to scale AI securely and sustainably."

AI moves from pilots to scaled adoption

Financial institutions are progressing beyond isolated AI pilots and building systems that bring together data, governance and AI tools so they can be used securely across the business.

The report's case studies show what this looks like in practice. Kasikorn Business-Technology Group provided a dedicated space for employees to test AI ideas and build their own tools, generating more than 200 ideas and 60 MVP solutions. Eight high-impact projects were later scaled across the business. Overall, these approaches saved an estimated 30,000 workdays and improved productivity on administrative tasks, documentation and preliminary analysis by 20%-59%.

Successful firms are not simply adding AI tools to existing systems. They are rethinking workflows, technology, risk controls and workforce models, while balancing near-term efficiencies with deeper organizational change.

Trust becomes the competitive test

With AI capabilities increasingly accessible, firms will need to differentiate through the quality of customer relationships, transparency and confidence in how AI is used.

The Mastercard Consumer Clarity initiative uses AI to make digital payment information clearer for consumers by improving the accuracy of merchant names and transaction descriptions. The initiative led to 15% higher data accuracy, reduced processing time by 87% and lowered costs by 92%, with less customer confusion strengthening trust and transparency in digital payments.

"As AI agents begin to act autonomously on behalf of customers-sweeping deposits, executing transactions, and making financial decisions-the institutions that win won't be those with the most advanced models, but those customers trust most to act in their interests," said David Parker, Global Industry Lead, Banking and Capital Markets, Accenture. "Trust is no longer a byproduct of good service; it is the product."

Agentic AI raises the accountability test

As agentic AI systems take on more complex, autonomous roles in financial services operations, firms are building governance, explainability and accountability into how they manage and oversee AI.

Allianz Partners used an AI claims tool developed with Taktile to reduce claims processing time from days to minutes while keeping people involved in oversight.

"Financial institutions are discovering that long-term success with AI is not determined by technology alone," said Andre Belelieu, Head of Financial Services Industries, World Economic Forum. "The organizations creating sustainable value are those that combine innovation with trust, responsible governance and workforce transformation. Building customer, employee and regulator confidence will be critical to realizing AI's full potential."

Playbook for scaling AI responsibly

The report introduces a Framework for Transformational AI, identifying four actions required for institutions to move from AI adoption to AI-driven transformation: defining vision and strategy with board-level accountability; building the data, technology and governance systems needed to use AI safely and at scale; balancing near-term improvements with longer-term transformation; and preparing the workforce, processes and culture for new ways of working.

It also calls for greater collaboration among firms, policy-makers and regulators to manage shared risks as AI becomes more deeply embedded in financial services. The AI Playbook for Financial Services builds on the Forum's 2025 white paper, Artificial Intelligence in Financial Services, and is part of the Forum's broader work on technology, financial services and the responsible transformation of industries.

About the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2026

The 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions will take place from 23 to 25 June 2026 in Dalian, People's Republic of China, under the theme "Innovating at Scale". The meeting will bring together over1,700 participants cross-sector leaders to explore how innovation and emerging technologies can unlock new growth models and drive positive economic momentum in a fast-shifting global landscape.

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