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Reflections from ADOPT AI – How AI is reshaping operational intelligence in financial services

At this year’s ADOPT AI by Artefact conference in Paris, Itera moderated a main-stage discussion on how AI is redefining operational intelligence in the financial sector.

Written by Olha Afanasyeva, Head of International Growth in Itera

The panel brought together leaders from across banking, insurance, and data platforms:

  • José Valino Blanco, Chief Tech & Operations Officer — ABANCA
  • Sebastiaan Kalshoven, CTO — ASN Bank
  • Martin Willcox, SVP Worldwide Sales Analytics — Teradata
  • Arthur Dénouveaux, CTO — Covéa
  • Moderator: Olha Afanasyeva, Head of International Growth — Itera

Across all perspectives, one message stood out: AI only creates real value when operational reality is ready to absorb it. 

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Turning hype into reality

While expectations around AI are high, the speakers agreed that deployment inside regulated organisations requires discipline and realism. 

José Valino Blanco (ABANCA) was direct: 
“The expectations are enormous. But operationalisation is the hard part.” 

Banks and insurers are navigating technical complexity, regulatory scrutiny, and the need for structured, well-governed data. 
The panellists emphasised that responsible progress requires transparency, especially toward boards often exposed to overly ambitious external narratives. 

 

Internal first: where transformation really starts

All organisations represented are seeing the strongest early impact from internal augmentation, not customer-facing autonomy. 

Sebastiaan Kalshoven (ASN Bank) highlighted the shift from experimentation to empowerment: 
“We focus on AI literacy and tools that help our people do better work. Once that foundation is there, customers feel the benefits.” 

Examples ranged from internal GPTs and copilots to faster internal workflows. The result is customer value delivered through speed, clarity, and consistent processes. 

 

What works today: augmenting people, not replacing them

Arthur Dénouveaux (Covéa) described how augmentation is outperforming traditional models in insurance operations: 
“Re-internalising certain tasks with AI support can be faster and more resilient than outsourced structures.”

Voice intelligence, document processing, underwriting support and operational decision tools all surfaced as areas where augmentation is already producing measurable value. 

Scaling beyond pilots

Most institutions have dozens of pilots. The critical question is who manages to turn them into operational delivery.

Martin Willcox (Teradata) emphasised the foundational role of data: 
“You can’t scale AI without trusted, unified data. The model landscape is moving fast, but infrastructure discipline is what turns innovations into real outcomes.”

The panel identified four enablers of successful scaling:

  1. strong data foundations
  2. small, agile cross-functional teams
  3. internal-first experimentation
  4. realistic expectation management

Institutions mastering these elements are beginning to pull ahead. 

 

AI as a catalyst for M&A integration 

One of the strongest insights came from ABANCA’s experience with recent European acquisitions.

José Valino Blanco noted that AI can significantly accelerate the integration of newly acquired institutions: 

  • aligning processes 
  • mapping systems 
  • harmonising compliance 
  • supporting employees during change 
  • speeding the creation of a unified customer experience 

In cross-border M&A, where differences in systems and workflows often slow synergy realisation, AI-enabled operational intelligence is becoming a strategic differentiator. 

 

People at the centre 

A recurring theme throughout the discussion is that AI transformation succeeds only when people are supported. 

Psychological safety, skilling, clear communication, and realistic productivity expectations are essential. In the words of one panellist: “If people aren’t ready to use it, the technology cannot deliver.” 

Get in touch

For questions or more information, please contact

Olha Afanasyeva, Senior Business Development Manager, Itera

Olha Afanasyeva

Head of International Growth in Itera

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