M&T Bank Expands Enterprise AI Capabilities Following Comprehensive Technology Overhaul
M&T Bank has expanded its implementation of AI copilots to over 15,000 employees, enhancing various aspects of its operations, customer service, software development, and risk management. The bank’s use of AI extends to analyzing call center conversations, drafting reports, generating code, identifying customer needs, and flagging portfolio risks.
Previously, M&T limited employee access to public large language models due to concerns over sensitive information being entered into these systems. After careful evaluation, the bank opted for Microsoft Copilot, beginning with a pilot program involving 800 employees before rolling it out across the organization.
According to Chief Data Officer Andrew Foster, using generative AI for summarizing call-center conversations can save approximately six minutes per call. Developers at M&T have also begun using tools from GitLab for code generation while retaining responsibility for reviewing any AI-generated work. This oversight aligns with the bank’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, mandating the use of approved AI tools and safeguarding confidential customer data.
Infrastructure Improvements
The surge in AI usage is part of a broader technology overhaul initiated by M&T in 2018, which aimed to transition a workforce largely composed of external tech specialists to a more integrated in-house team. Currently, around 2,000 technologists are part of an agile workforce, a significant increase from the previous reliance on external workers. Since 2018, technology outages have decreased by over 80%, and the bank has also shifted from approximately 15,000 annual technology releases in 2018 to around 65,000 by 2025.
M&T has prioritized building a robust data infrastructure, including a data lineage program to track data sources and usage, ensuring responsible management of information flow within the bank’s systems. This effort is not just reactive to the adoption of generative AI but is considered a foundational pillar for enhancing the overall data governance and comprehension within the organization.
To further this mission, M&T has established a Data Academy that has trained roughly 2,000 employees in data governance and skills, along with an internal platform called Edison for managing key documents and policies. The bank is also employing retrieval-augmented generation techniques to work with internal, governed data.
Future AI Developments
CEO Chris Wisler emphasized that the bank is exploring generative AI through three main avenues: general employee use, embedded AI capabilities in current applications, and proprietary systems leveraging M&T’s own data. This multifaceted approach allows the bank to harness AI across its extensive portfolio of over 1,800 applications and explore functionalities already included in third-party software.
M&T continues to assess various internal and external AI solutions to enhance operational efficiency, customer interaction, and security measures against fraud and cyber threats. Other major U.S. banks, like JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America, are also expanding AI capabilities, showcasing the growing trend of AI deployment within the banking industry.
For more information on M&T Bank’s AI initiatives and the evolving landscape of AI in banking, check the following links: M&T Bank AI Expansion, AI in Banking
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