94% of financial firms say AI is now central to their operational strategy

August 1, 2025

Financial institutions are rapidly adopting artificial intelligence (AI) to meet operational challenges and grow their business.

According to SS&C Blue Prism’s recent survey, The Trillion Dollar Transformation: Rise of Gen AI & Agentic AI in Financial Services, 87% of financial services firms are already deploying new AI technologies, with 76% planning to implement agentic AI in the coming year.

The 2025 study, which gathered responses from 377 senior financial services leaders, reveals a sector undergoing transformative change fuelled by generative AI, agentic AI, and intelligent automation.

The financial services sector continues to lead in AI adoption due to its data-intensive characteristics, the uptick in financial crime, and the need to meet costly regulatory compliance requirements. This year’s findings show that the rise of generative AI and agentic AI has exceeded expectations in what is still an evolving market. Generative AI, powered by large language models (LLMs), enables content creation, while agentic AI refers to autonomous agents capable of task execution without human involvement. These technologies are now put to work to streamline processes such as KYC, AML, speed customer onboarding and bring innovative approaches to fraud detection.

SS&C Blue Prism’s research shows the potential of AI is now a strategic imperative. A staggering 94% of respondents view AI as core to their business operations. Firms are primarily using these technologies to improve productivity (45%) and increase operational efficiency (46%). Automation has long been a foundation in operations, but AI is now enabling a significant leap in results—particularly in areas that previously saw only hard-won incremental gains.

When asked which business areas had the most potential for AI impact over the next two years, customer experience and support came out on top. Over half of respondents (53%) believe AI will radically transform how financial institutions interact with customers. This includes enhanced chatbot performance, 24/7 personalised support, tailored advice, and highly targeted financial products.

KYC, AML, and fraud detection emerged as the second most promising area for AI. Currently, intelligent automation supports functions such as transaction monitoring, sanctions screening and regulatory reporting. Respondents pointed out that despite talk of deregulation, upcoming rules like the Corporate Transparency Act and the EU’s DORA framework will reinforce the need for advanced compliance tools. As the cost of fraud and regulation remains high, AI is expected to play a vital role in boosting compliance efficiency and cutting costs.

This year’s survey underscores the momentum behind next-gen AI adoption. As the financial services industry continues to navigate change, the combined power of generative AI, agentic automation, and orchestration will define the future of operational excellence.

Download the full report for deeper insights into AI adoption in financial services.