MADRID, Spain, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At the Temenos Community Forum ’25 in Madrid, Temenos, a global leader in banking technology, shared insights from a global study by Hanover Research of 424 business and technology leaders in financial services that underscores a bold shift in banking priorities.

The research shows financial institutions are accelerating investments in technology, and placing customer experience, innovation, and operational efficiency at the top of their strategic agendas. Investing in technology to improve customer experience emerged as the top strategic priority for 46% of banks worldwide, followed closely by the launch of new products and services (35%), and the pursuit of greater operational efficiency (34%).

In the face of rapid geopolitical changes, banks need to modernize to be able to predict, understand and adapt rapidly to market changes; capabilities their legacy systems are not equipped to deliver. To meet these demands, (77%) of financial institutions are investing in data analytics and AI-driven insights and 68% in cloud-based core banking systems, all while maintaining a strong focus on protecting both themselves and their customers as a priority.

Amid the turbulence of inflation, tariffs and trade tensions, most banks anticipate they will increase investment in technology to better protect customers (84%) and technology to enhance operational efficiency (81%). In addition, three quarters of banks plan to increase their investments to improve systems integration (75%) and data analytics (73%).

Most professionals (81%) agree that if banks do not implement artificial intelligence they will fall behind competitors. While only 11% of banks have fully implemented generative AI today, 43% are in the process, indicating more than half are moving forward with real deployment. Notably, 60% of banking professionals view AI as a tool to augment, not replace the human workforce.

In her plenary keynote at TCF, Isabelle Guis, Chief Marketing Officer, Temenos, said: “The message is clear: while banks continue to invest in modernization, they’re doing so with a close eye on evolving market dynamics. Financial institutions understand that staying competitive means being ready to adapt and there’s a growing recognition that failing to embrace AI soon could leave them behind.”

The study results pertaining to AI and Gen AI were discussed on a recent webinar with Jerry Silva, Program Vice President, IDC, Maya Mikhailov, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Savvi AI and Isabelle Guis, Chief Marketing Officer at Temenos (link).

About the research

Conducted by Hanover Research in April 2025, the survey captured insights from 424 senior banking executives across retail, commercial, credit union, and wealth management sectors. All respondents held director-level or higher roles in IT or business functions overseeing products, services, or strategy. The survey had a global reach, with participants from North America (47%), Europe (24%), the Middle East & Africa (17%), Latin America (6%), and Australia/New Zealand (6%).