Latest news with #JoukPleiter
Zawya
26-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Harnessing the power of AI to supercharge African banking
Banking and tech experts gath- ered at the ENGAGE Dubai event to explore how banks can apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) to take banking to the next generation in terms of modernisation, cus-tomer experiences and inclusivity. Banks around the world are actively leveraging AI to enhance customer-facing chatbots, prevent fraud, and streamline processes like regulatory reporting and software development workflows. However, widespread adoption is yet to be achieved. According to McKinsey, up to 80% of IT budgets in banks are allocated to maintaining outdated systems, rather than investing in innovations to stay competitive amid growing AI adoption. Speaking at the event, Jouk Pleiter, Founder & CEO of Backbase, argued that allocating resources to integrate AI could be the key differentiator between banks that succeed with customers and those that do not. He asserted that AI could significantly boost productivity and efficiency, im- prove the customer experience, and provide banks with a competitive edge to grow profitably. 'A huge opportunity is knocking on the door. In the last ten years we've focused mostly on mobile-first basic servicing. Over the next ten years we will focus on AI-driven growth,' he said. 'The legacy system is channel and product centric. We need to shift away from this to customer centric systems that integrate AI. AI is going to live inside plat- forms and live inside software applica- tions,' he said. Pointing to the Backbase Intelligence Fabric, he added: 'This is AI natively embedded within the Backbase ecosystem.' Pleiter emphasised the urgent need for African banks to modernise their legacy systems and integrate AI-powered capa- bilities. While Backbase is already assist- ing several banks in making this essential transition, more momentum is needed to transform the industry. Focusing on some of the areas within banking where AI is already delivering pro- ductivity gains, Pleiter pointed out that 'McKinsey says that financial institutions often spend one to four weeks creating credit-risk memos. Generative AI could cut time spent on credit-risk memos by 20-60%. 'Eliminating labour-intensive tasks will unlock significant productivity gains,' he added, while noting that AI 'will both re- place and complement human tasks'. Pleiter revealed that Backbase is ad- vancing Agentic AI (Agentic AI is a new type of AI that can work and act intelli- gently and independently). Among other tasks, this permits banks to deploy bots that seamlessly execute workflows and boost customer engagement. These advances are complemented by large language models (LLMs), which are revolutionising daily banking opera- tions by enabling seamless account ac- cess, efficient payment management, streamlined transaction history reviews, and effortless handling of card-related tasks across multiple channels. Similarly, the company is developing AI-driven product activation and up- sell campaigns to boost the number of products held per customer. Backbase is utilising AI and machine learning models to analyse customer data and behaviour. This analysis provides actionable in- sights, including early warning indicators for retail customers, cash-flow forecasting for small and medium-sized businesses, and customer health and viability informa- tion for relationship managers. To ensure a smooth transition to the modernisation, it is essential to adopt a phased approach to AI integration. 'A step- by-step strategy for progressive banking modernisation is critical, beginning with user interfaces and gradually extending to backend systems,' Pleiter explained. Eliminating barriers to modernisation Bhaskar Dasgupta, senior advisor at the Sheikh Hamdan Bin Ahmad Al Maktoum private office, emphasised the need for banks to eliminate barriers to innovation in order to successfully modernise. He said that cumbersome regulatory and compliance burdens continue to impede progress, with the heavily regu- lated banking sector slowing the pace of innovation due to complex compliance requirements. 'AI adoption faces significant hurdles, including ensuring data privacy and trans- parency while adhering to protection laws,' he remarked. Dasgupta also stressed the importance of banks making the bold moves needed to shift away from legacy systems and infrastructure. He noted that decades-old systems are costly to maintain and chal- lenging to integrate with modern tech- nologies. 'Transitioning to new systems is expensive and risks service disruptions, which limits swift innovation.' Dasgupta pointed out that cultural re- sistance to change must be addressed. He argued that a mindset shift is necessary, as traditional banking cultures value sta- bility over disruption, creating resistance to innovation. He noted that these barriers to innova- tion in banking were giving fintech and pri- vate credit firms the upper hand. 'Fintechs can go around these problems, becoming quasi-banks,' he pointed out. 'When a customer goes to a bank for a huge loan, the processes are often lengthy and cumbersome. But the same customer can approach a private credit firm or fin- tech and get a deal that serves their needs in a shorter time.' Discussing the transformative impact of major fintech innovations on the bank- ing sector, Dasgupta identified several key trends. These include digital wallets and mobile payments, robo-advisors and automated wealth management, blockchain and cryptocurrency, as well as lending platforms and alternative financ- ing. 'These innovations are reshaping the landscape of banking, offering new op- portunities and challenges for financial institutions,' he observed. Changing gender mindsets While AI and digital transformation hold significant promise for banks, lenders must ensure that the growth they drive is inclusive. Women need to be part of the innovation process and, crucially, the tech-powered solutions that banks come up with need to help women entrepreneurs to access financial products at more com- petitive rates. Incorporating inclusivity into digital transformation strategies can also en- hance the transition to a more innovative financial sector. For example, women-led ventures often face unique challenges in accessing capital and building networks. Addressing these disparities will not only support women but also strengthen the fintech ecosystem as a whole. Likeleli Monyamane, Head of Digital Programs at Standard Bank, argued that for women in banking and tech to be em- powered, cultural and social norms must first change. 'We come from cultures that are very much centred around patriarchal norms in our society. They make their way into the workplace and they undermine women's leadership,' she observed. 'Men need to recognise and support women as leaders.' Ghazal Al Sakaal, the Global Head of Digital Strategic Partnerships at Mashreq Bank, noted that despite cul- tural prejudices, women in banking and tech are increasingly demonstrating their leadership capabilities. 'Women are proving that they are able to break the barriers and that they belong at the top. There is a great op- portunity for women to build the foun- dation of fintech,' she observed. Sepo Haihambo, CEO, Commercial Banking at FNB Namibia, described the ongoing struggles women-led fintechs face in accessing finance compared to their male counterparts. 'Another chal- lenge that women face in the fintech and financial services sector is access to capi- tal. There is still a bias towards male-led ventures,' she said. Haihambo also underscored the dif-ficulties women encounter in accessing networking platforms. 'Men tend to have access to different networking platforms to raise funding, or access to investors at a higher level,' she added. By fostering inclusivity, African banks can supercharge digital innovation and ensure that the benefits of transforma- tion are shared across diverse communi- ties. Addressing challenges like access to capital and networking opportunities for women-led ventures will not only support gender equality but also strengthen the fintech ecosystem and unlock untapped market potential. AI is already proving its value in areas like fraud prevention, credit risk assess- ment, and personalised customer service. For African banks, adopting AI while ad- dressing inclusivity challenges provides a practical pathway to modernise op- erations, better serve underrepresented groups and create more accessible finan- cial solutions that create lasting impact across the region. n 'A huge opportunity is knocking on the door. Over the next ten years we will focus on AI-driven growth.' © Copyright IC Publications 2022 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Tahawul Tech
02-05-2025
- Business
- Tahawul Tech
'Our AI-powered banking platform will empower banks to unlock growth faster than ever.' Jouk Pleiter, Backbase
Backbase has announced a major industry shift: the launch of the world's first AI-powered Banking Platform, following the launch of its Intelligence Fabric in September 2024. Momentum accelerates with the release of its next-generation platform, purpose-built to accelerate growth and efficiency in banking by unifying two mission-critical domains: customer servicing and digital sales. This launch marks the next phase of Backbase's bold vision: putting bankers at the forefront of the AI revolution, fully equipped to drive sustainable, profitable growth. Built for unified sales and servicing In today's competitive landscape, banks can no longer afford to rely on passive digital channels and reactive workflows. Backbase's AI-powered Banking Platform enables banks to: ● Transform customer engagement with AI-powered self-service and real-time support ● Hardwire AI into daily operations to maximize employee productivity and smarter decision-making ● Streamline and scale sales through intelligent activation and end-to-end automation ● Expand revenue with AI-driven up- and cross-sell journeys that deepen customer relationships. 'Banks don't need more pilots – they need outcomes,' said Jouk Pleiter, CEO & Founder of Backbase. 'With our AI-powered Banking Platform, we're going all-in on the AI opportunity and empower banks to boost productivity, automate intelligently, and unlock growth faster than ever.' Why now? The industry is at a tipping point. While fintechs surge ahead, many banks are still trapped by legacy tech and fragmented data — unable to fully seize the AI opportunity. The last decade delivered basic digital channels. The next will be owned by banks that master AI-powered growth orchestration: acquiring, activating, expanding, and retaining customers at scale. Powered by the Intelligence Fabric At the heart of the platform is the Intelligence Fabric — a unified data foundation that turns behavioral signals, transactional data, and operational insights into real-time, actionable intelligence. A breakthrough addition is Agentic AI: modular, intelligent agents purpose-built for banking. Operating safely within guardrails, these agents seamlessly embed into service and sales journeys — automating tasks, guiding next-best actions, and boosting productivity across the front and back office. Trusted and secure by design Built on a trusted AI foundation, the platform ensures every decision, recommendation, and action is transparent, secure, and auditable. Agents are developed, deployed, and governed within a tightly controlled environment, enabling banks to confidently scale while upholding the highest standards of compliance, risk, and operational integrity. Closing the talent gap with the AI Factory AI adoption demands new expertise — and Backbase delivers it through the AI Factory: an embedded delivery model designed to bridge the industry's AI skills gap. By integrating Backbase's AI experts directly into their teams, banks can rapidly co-create high-impact use cases and turn innovation into execution with speed and confidence. 'This isn't proof-of-concept AI. This is a packaged, production-ready operating model to move banks from experimentation to execution, fast,' said Jouk Pleiter, CEO & Founder at Backbase. 'AI waits for no bank. It's not a wait-and-see – it's here, and it's rewriting the rules of the industry. The time to act is now.' Available now The AI-powered Banking Platform is already delivering breakthrough efficiency and unlocking new growth for early adopters. As of today, it's officially live and globally available — ready to transform how banks operate at scale.
Channel Post MEA
01-05-2025
- Business
- Channel Post MEA
Backbase Unveils AI-Driven Banking Platform
Backbase has announced a major industry shift: the launch of the world's first AI-powered Banking Platform, following the launch of its Intelligence Fabric in September 2024. Momentum accelerates with the release of its next-generation platform, purpose-built to accelerate growth and efficiency in banking by unifying two mission-critical domains: customer servicing and digital sales. This launch marks the next phase of Backbase's bold vision: putting bankers at the forefront of the AI revolution, fully equipped to drive sustainable, profitable growth. Built for unified sales and servicing In today's competitive landscape, banks can no longer afford to rely on passive digital channels and reactive workflows. Backbase's AI-powered Banking Platform enables banks to: Transform customer engagement with AI-powered self-service and real-time support with AI-powered self-service and real-time support Hardwire AI into daily operations to maximize employee productivity and smarter decision-making to maximize employee productivity and smarter decision-making Streamline and scale sales through intelligent activation and end-to-end automation through intelligent activation and end-to-end automation Expand revenue with AI-driven up- and cross-sell journeys that deepen customer relationships. 'Banks don't need more pilots – they need outcomes,' said Jouk Pleiter, CEO & Founder of Backbase. 'With our AI-powered Banking Platform, we're going all-in on the AI opportunity and empower banks to boost productivity, automate intelligently, and unlock growth faster than ever.' Why now? The industry is at a tipping point. While fintechs surge ahead, many banks are still trapped by legacy tech and fragmented data — unable to fully seize the AI opportunity. The last decade delivered basic digital channels. The next will be owned by banks that master AI-powered growth orchestration: acquiring, activating, expanding, and retaining customers at scale. Powered by the Intelligence Fabric At the heart of the platform is the Intelligence Fabric — a unified data foundation that turns behavioral signals, transactional data, and operational insights into real-time, actionable intelligence. A breakthrough addition is Agentic AI: modular, intelligent agents purpose-built for banking. Operating safely within guardrails, these agents seamlessly embed into service and sales journeys — automating tasks, guiding next-best actions, and boosting productivity across the front and back office. Trusted and secure by design Built on a trusted AI foundation, the platform ensures every decision, recommendation, and action is transparent, secure, and auditable. Agents are developed, deployed, and governed within a tightly controlled environment, enabling banks to confidently scale while upholding the highest standards of compliance, risk, and operational integrity. Closing the talent gap with the AI Factory AI adoption demands new expertise — and Backbase delivers it through the AI Factory: an embedded delivery model designed to bridge the industry's AI skills gap. By integrating Backbase's AI experts directly into their teams, banks can rapidly co-create high-impact use cases and turn innovation into execution with speed and confidence. 'This isn't proof-of-concept AI. This is a packaged, production-ready operating model to move banks from experimentation to execution, fast,' said Jouk Pleiter, CEO & Founder at Backbase. 'AI waits for no bank. It's not a wait-and-see – it's here, and it's rewriting the rules of the industry. The time to act is now.' Available now The AI-powered Banking Platform is already delivering breakthrough efficiency and unlocking new growth for early adopters. As of today, it's officially live and globally available — ready to transform how banks operate at scale. 0 0
TECHx
30-04-2025
- Business
- TECHx
Backbase Unveils First AI-Powered Banking Platform Globally
Home » Emerging technologies » Fintech » Backbase Unveils First AI-Powered Banking Platform Globally Backbase has launched the world's first AI-powered banking platform, introducing a major shift in digital banking. The new platform follows the September 2024 release of its Intelligence Fabric . Designed to improve both sales and servicing, the platform helps banks grow faster and operate more efficiently. It combines real-time support, automation, and AI-driven intelligence to streamline processes across the customer journey. Banks face increasing pressure from fintechs and legacy systems. Backbase offers a solution that modernizes operations and accelerates digital transformation. The platform allows banks to: Boost customer engagement through AI-powered self-service Automate workflows to increase productivity Drive sales with intelligent activation Deepen relationships using AI for cross- and up-selling It also includes Agentic AI, smart modules built for banking tasks. These agents automate actions, suggest next steps, and work across front and back-office operations. They are governed within secure, compliant frameworks. All of this is powered by the Intelligence Fabric, a unified data layer that turns behavior and transaction data into instant insights. Backbase also introduced the AI Factory. It helps banks adopt AI faster by embedding Backbase experts into their teams to build real-world use cases. According to Jouk Pleiter, CEO of Backbase, 'This is not a test model. It's a production-ready system that helps banks move from concept to execution.' The platform is now live and available worldwide. Early adopters are already reporting gains in efficiency and customer engagement.
Associated Press
30-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Backbase launches world's first AI-powered Banking Platform, putting banks back in Growth Mode
Industry pioneer redefines what a banking platform is in the era of AI, and delivers both the technology and talent to drive remarkable growth AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - Media OutReach Newswire - 30 April 2025 - Today, Backbase announces a major industry shift: the launch of the world's first AI-powered Banking Platform, following the launch of its Intelligence Fabric in September 2024. Momentum accelerates with the release of its next-generation platform, purpose-built to accelerate growth and efficiency in banking by unifying two mission-critical domains: customer servicing and digital sales. This launch marks the next phase of Backbase's bold vision: putting bankers at the forefront of the AI revolution, fully equipped to drive sustainable, profitable growth. Built for unified sales and servicing In today's competitive landscape, banks can no longer afford to rely on passive digital channels and reactive workflows. Backbase's AI-powered Banking Platform enables banks to: 'Banks don't need more pilots - they need outcomes,' said Jouk Pleiter, CEO & Founder of Backbase. 'With our AI-powered Banking Platform, we're going all-in on the AI opportunity and empower banks to boost productivity, automate intelligently, and unlock growth faster than ever.' Why now? The industry is at a tipping point. While fintechs surge ahead, many banks are still trapped by legacy tech and fragmented data — unable to fully seize the AI opportunity. The last decade delivered basic digital channels. The next will be owned by banks that master AI-powered growth orchestration: acquiring, activating, expanding, and retaining customers at scale. Powered by the Intelligence Fabric At the heart of the platform is the Intelligence Fabric — a unified data foundation that turns behavioral signals, transactional data, and operational insights into real-time, actionable intelligence. A breakthrough addition is Agentic AI: modular, intelligent agents purpose-built for banking. Operating safely within guardrails, these agents seamlessly embed into service and sales journeys—automating tasks, guiding next-best actions, and boosting productivity across the front and back office. Trusted and secure by design Built on a trusted AI foundation, the platform ensures every decision, recommendation, and action is transparent, secure, and auditable. Agents are developed, deployed, and governed within a tightly controlled environment, enabling banks to confidently scale while upholding the highest standards of compliance, risk, and operational integrity. Closing the talent gap with the AI Factory AI adoption demands new expertise — and Backbase delivers it through the AI Factory: an embedded delivery model designed to bridge the industry's AI skills gap. By integrating Backbase's AI experts directly into their teams, banks can rapidly co-create high-impact use cases and turn innovation into execution with speed and confidence. 'This isn't proof-of-concept AI. This is a packaged, production-ready operating model to move banks from experimentation to execution, fast' said Jouk Pleiter, CEO & Founder at Backbase. 'AI waits for no bank. It's not a wait-and-see - it's here, and it's rewriting the rules of the industry. The time to act is now.' Available now The AI-powered Banking Platform is already delivering breakthrough efficiency and unlocking new growth for early adopters. As of today, it's officially live and globally available—ready to transform how banks operate at scale. Hashtag: #Backbase #digitalbanking #AIPoweredBanking #ArtificialIntelligence #retailbanking #omnichannelbanking #businessbanking #smebanking #corporatebanking The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. About Backbase Backbase is on a mission to put bankers back in the driver's seat — fully equipped to lead the AI revolution and unlock remarkable growth and efficiency. At the heart of this mission is the world's first AI-powered Banking Platform, unifying all servicing and sales journeys into an integrated suite. With Backbase, banks modernize their operations across every line of business — from Retail and SME to Commercial, Private Banking, and Wealth Management. Recognized as a category leader by Forrester, Gartner, Celent, and IDC, Backbase powers the digital and AI transformations of over 150 financial institutions worldwide. See some of their stories here. Founded in 2003 in Amsterdam, Backbase is a global private fintech company with regional headquarters in Atlanta and Singapore, and offices across London, Sydney, Toronto, Dubai, Kraków, Cardiff, Hyderabad, and Mexico City. Learn more at
