Leaders of financial institutions should use the AI firsthand that’s being implemented at their companies, Wendy Cai-Lee, founder and chief executive of Piermont Bank, said March 2 at the FinAi Banking Summit 2026. 

When the $500 million digital bank implements AI, “I use it,” she said. “I want to know how it works.” 

Although a C-suite executive might not use AI the way an analyst would, it’s still important to understand the technology, how it works and what it is doing, she said.  

“We don’t get paid to do everybody else’s job. … We get paid for [identifying] what questions to ask,” she said, asking if leaders don’t use the technology, how would they identify those questions? 

Top-down approach

Other bank leaders agreed: AI strategy needs a top-down approach. 

Matthew McCown, executive director of the data and analytics team at J.P. Morgan Payments, said AI needs to come from leadership.  

“It is a cultural pivot that we are going through,” he said. “There is an expectation that employees are using AI to do their job and, as leaders, we are accountable for the success of it.” 

The leadership of any bank must be “fully onboard” and lead by example for the successful implementation of AI strategy, he said. 

Read more coverage from FinAi Banking Summit here.