Banking Executives Embrace AI, but Call for Regulation

According to a recent survey, the banking sector is optimistic about AI, with 71% of respondents indicating a need to invest in AI agents for competitive advantage. However, over half (54%) also expressed a desire for more robust regulatory oversight.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 27, 2025 — SoundHound AI, Inc. (Nasdaq: SOUN), a leader in voice and conversational AI, shared findings that reveal how banking professionals view agent AI. The survey, conducted by Arizent, showed that 70% of participants anticipate a “significant” impact from this technology, some even considering it a “game changer” for the future of banking and financial services.

Current Agent AI Landscape in Banking

The findings highlighted that larger banks are at the forefront in adopting agent AI, with nearly half of the institutions already implementing it. Those organizations using agent AI are four times more likely to classify it as a “game changer.” In fact, a staggering 94% reported being satisfied with their current integrations.

Interestingly, only 2% of surveyed institutions felt that agent AI offered no value.

Main Applications of Agent AI

Customer service stands out as a primary concern for larger banks, with 76% of respondents affirmed that their banks have established AI committees to explore potential applications. Notably, the top use cases identified by banking experts include:

• Customer service/call center (59%)
• Employee efficiency (39%)
• Fraud/Risk Management (37%)

The consensus underscores that the true value of agent AI lies in its potential to enhance overall human interaction in banking, with 73% believing that customer experience will improve and 79% looking at benefits for employees.

Barriers and Motivations for Adoption

Despite the buzz around agent AI, banks are proceeding cautiously, mainly due to concerns surrounding:

• Security and compliance (51%)
• Worries about autonomy (51%)
• Integration challenges with legacy systems (46%)
• Cost considerations (42%)

However, many banks view agent AI as a means to address some of these issues. About 42% think it could aid in automating fraud and risk management, while nearly a third see potential in compliance improvements.

When asked what would encourage their institutions to adopt agent AI more widely, the majority pointed to the need for stronger regulatory guidance (54%) and seamless integration with existing tools (53%).

SoundHound’s Amelia 7 Agentic AI Platform

In a demonstration, many expressed confidence in SoundHound’s Amelia 7 platform. A significant 88% deemed it valuable for their operations, while 98% believed it to be an enhancement over their current technologies. As Michael Anderson, SoundHound AI’s Vice President of Enterprise AI, noted, this evolution is met with excitement, particularly among larger institutions. Yet, trust and security remain pivotal for banks to confidently embrace agent AI fully.

Amelia 7 is designed to manage intricate user queries by coordinating various AI agents for tasks like customer inquiries and transactions autonomously. These AI agents utilize a blend of generative AI and traditional models to provide the best responses.

The full research report can be accessed here.

Methodology
This research, led by Arizent and American Banker for SoundHound, involved an online survey of 201 respondents from July 22 to August 18, 2025. Eligible participants worked at credit unions or retail and commercial banks, held managerial positions, and were involved in their institutions’ AI strategies.