On April 4, Fed Governor Michael S. Barr spoke at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco about how banks and fintech companies can work together to accelerate the adoption of generative AI in financial services.

Barr highlighted that fintechs offer technological agility and innovation. Meanwhile, banks provide essential customer data and risk management frameworks, making their partnership valuable for AI integration. He warned that, as technology rapidly advances outside traditional banking boundaries, regulators and risk managers must stay informed about generative AI developments to oversee its integration into the regulated banking sector. Barr noted that successful bank-fintech partnerships could accelerate AI adoption while maintaining proper risk management, ultimately benefiting consumers with improved financial services.

Barr identified three reasons fintechs were well-positioned to drive generative AI adoption: (i) their modern tech infrastructure allows seamless integration of new technologies; (ii) their limited funding and time constraints push them toward innovative solutions; and (iii) their single-product focus enables optimized technology implementation. These traits create natural synergies with banks, which have the deep customer data necessary for effective AI applications.