Artificial Intelligence (AI) is moving from experimentation to execution across the banking industry as financial institutions look to streamline operations, improve customer service and support faster decision making. According to FinAI News, about 60% of mid-sized banks have deployed AI in some capacity and more seem to be accelerating into exploring the option.

Bell Bank is using a deliberate, multi-layered AI strategy that blends enterprise tools, embedded technology and custom-built solutions. Michelle Mack, Bell’s SVP/director of AI and data, is helping guide that work as we evaluate where AI can deliver impact across business lines.

We recently connected with Michelle to learn more about the future of AI at Bell, and how Bell teams are currently adopting AI.

Q: Why is Bell adopting AI?

A: AI is becoming a standard capability across financial services. We see it as an opportunity to improve efficiency, strengthen decision support, and enhance customer experience while maintaining the high standards of security, privacy, and human accountability that our customers expect.

Q: What are Bell’s current AI initiatives? 

A: We are adopting AI in three primary ways:

• General productivity tools that help employees draft, summarize, and organize work more efficiently (for example, Microsoft Copilot).
• AI features embedded in business applications (for example, capabilities related to fraud detection, threat management, compliance support, and operational automation).
• Exploring Bell-specific AI solutions where off-the-shelf tools are not able to fully meet our needs.

Q: How does Bell evaluate whether an AI tool is safe and appropriate to use? 

A: We use a coordinated approach through Bell’s AI Center of Excellence and supported by cross-functional stakeholders (including technology, risk, compliance, and information security). Before we enable or expand AI capabilities, we consider factors like:

• Data sensitivity and required protections
• Vendor controls and third-party risk requirements (when applicable)
• Platform integration and operational readiness
• Appropriate human oversight and accountability
   

Q: What AI advancements are you most excited about?

A: We are in the process of designing and developing a custom knowledge-based search engine for Bell. This capability will enable us to create operational efficiencies across many different business processes, drive more consistent and accurate answers for improved customer service and enhance the overall employee experience.

Q: What benefits should customers expect from Bell’s use of AI over time.

A: Bell’s strength has always been our people and the relationships they build with customers. We view AI as an enabling tool that can reduce routine, manual, or repetitive tasks so employees can focus more on service, problem-solving, and the human judgment that banking requires. Over time, we expect the use of AI to result in:

• Faster turnaround on certain processes
• More consistent answers to routine questions (supported by better knowledge search as noted earlier)
• Stronger fraud and security capabilities as vendors and tools continue to evolve
• More time for Bell employees to focus on personalized service and complex needs

Q: What’s next for AI at Bell?

A: We expect AI capabilities to continue evolving quickly. Our focus is to adopt AI responsibly – prioritizing customer trust, strong controls, and practical value. We’ll continue to learn, pilot, measure outcomes, and scale what works in a way that aligns with Bell’s culture and risk standards.