Academy Bank is investing in AI this year to ensure that its operations are more efficient and more useful for the end user. 

“Our top goal for the year is to innovate for success, and AI is really at the center of that,” Chief Executive Paul Holewinski told Bank Automation News. 

Academy is owned by holding company Dickinson Financial. 

Two years ago, the $2.6 billion, Kansas City, Mo.-based bank started leaning into robotic process automation (RPA), and now the bank is using its approach to RPA to navigate AI, Holewinski said. 

When implementing RPA, the bank was looking to eliminate mundane tasks in its back-office operations, he said, noting that “RPA has been a pretty important tool for us.” 

The bank’s RPA efforts include: 

• Prioritizing internal innovation efforts for RPA; 
• Bringing in leadership and developers to work with the bank’s operations and risk teams; and 
• Identifying RPA uses.

Now, the bank is using that strategy for AI, Holewinski said. 

In January, the bank’s business units were asked to come up with two to three areas of operation that would benefit from AI, he said. Listening to associates sparks ideas that add efficiency to the bank and to their roles, Holewinski said. 

“It’s very much organic for us, in terms of our approach to AI, RPA and automation,” he said. 

Technology efforts 

The bank, which opened a new headquarters in January, is investing in its in-branch technology as it opens three or four branches annually, Holewinski said.  

“All of our new branches are equipped with an engagement room,” he said. “We’re still fans of branches.” 

The engagement rooms allow clients to connect virtually with bank employees who might have answers to questions about mortgages or debit card issues that in-branch employees can’t answer, he said.  

“It gives us a lot more flexibility to bring the right person into the conversation,” he said. 

The bank also has a mobile app and offers online banking capabilities, Holewinski said.  

“I would say we’re a fairly traditional commercial and retail bank that really has leaned into technology and automation to help scale our operations,” he said. 

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