BFSI leaders say AI adoption hinges on enterprise-scale returns

BFSI leaders at the ETBFSI CXO Conclave 2026 in Mumbai said the sector is moving from an AI-experimentation phase to enterprise-wide deployment, with measurable business outcomes becoming the key metric. Shallu Kaushik of Tata Capital said AI is now seen as an operating model embedded across the value chain, evaluated across revenue, cost, productivity and employee efficiency. Abhay Pandey of State Bank of India said the bank is building an AI framework covering the whole organisation, with returns from proprietary capabilities expected in three to four years.

Mohit Kodnani of Central Bank of India placed the horizon for true AI returns at three to five years, warning that institutions that delay risk losing market share. Indraneel Pandit of Federal Bank said an earlier AI bot saved Rs 3 crore annually by diverting eligible calls. Leaders also stressed that data readiness, governance and human oversight are critical as AI moves into consequential financial processes. Deepak Bhatia of Thoughtworks India cautioned that projects starting today may face obsolescence by 2027 if not built with an AI-native architecture.