Bank Director's 2025 Technology Survey: Banks Grapple With Data, AI Maturity

Core Insights - The 2025 Technology Survey by Bank Director reveals insights into how bank leaders approach data management, artificial intelligence, and technology adoption [2][6] - Community banks face challenges in effectively utilizing valuable customer financial data, with one-third of leaders identifying this as a top issue [3][4] - A significant portion of banks are increasing their technology budgets, with 71% reporting a median increase of 10% to enhance customer experiences [6] Data Management and Technology Adoption - 56% of banks keep data within the systems that generate or use it, while an equal percentage rely on core providers for data access [4] - 41% of banks utilize spreadsheets for data management, and 39% employ data lakes or warehouses to consolidate data from various sources [4] - 28% of respondents have invested in data analysis capabilities in the past 18 months, rising to 70% for banks with over $10 billion in assets [5] Artificial Intelligence Utilization - 66% of banks have drafted acceptable use policies for AI, and 62% are experimenting with AI in limited applications [7] - 53% of bank leaders are educating employees about the risks of AI-enabled fraud [7] Competitive Landscape - Over half of bank executives express slight concern regarding the impact of stablecoins on deposit competition, with 19% moderately concerned [8] - 60% of respondents view local banks and credit unions as the greatest competitive threat, followed by larger banks (53%) and fintech companies (44%) [8] Decision-Making Processes - 54% of banks have a management-level team or steering committee that approves technology investments, while 48% indicate a C-level executive has this authority [10] - Only 18% of respondents measure the return on investment for technology projects, with 68% not doing so [11] Performance and Objectives - 56% of bank executives set clear objectives for technology initiatives, but 41% report that at least one initiative has not met its objectives in the past 18 months [12]