New Delhi, June 9 (IANS) Public sector banks (PSBs) are increasingly embracing artificial intelligence (AI) and are keen to adopt next-generation technologies to improve customer service, operational efficiency and risk assessment, Arundhati Bhattacharya, President and CEO, Salesforce India and South Asia, said on Tuesday.

In an interaction with IANS, the former State Bank of India (SBI) chairperson said public sector lenders have recognised the need to adapt to rapid technological changes and are willing to move quickly once they commit to transformation.

“Public sector banks are waking up to the reality that they need to be part of this new age. One good thing about public sector banks is that when they make up their minds, they move very quickly,” she said.

According to her, many state-run banks are looking to leapfrog directly to the latest technologies rather than adopting them incrementally, reflecting their willingness to embrace rapid digital transformation.

She highlighted the potential of agentic AI, which can independently perform tasks and interact with users, saying it could significantly improve customer servicing in the banking sector.

“Agentic AI, in particular, is very well suited for customer servicing, which has historically been a challenge across the banking sector,” she told IANS.

Bhattacharya noted that AI can help banks strengthen underwriting processes by analysing data from multiple sources, identifying potential risks, and reducing errors in decision-making.

The technology can also improve operational efficiency and enable banks to engage more effectively with customers, she added.

In addition, AI-driven tools can help banks expand customer outreach and offer more personalised services while enhancing productivity.

Bhattacharya said that Salesforce observed increased customer engagement after introducing an agentic AI layer in its support systems. “When we introduced an agentic layer on our own helpline, we found that customers actually asked more questions because they were getting useful responses. The same principle can apply in banking,” she told IANS.

Bhattacharya further said that AI is expected to play an increasingly important role in shaping the future of banking as financial institutions continue to explore its applications across customer service, lending, risk management and operations.

–IANS

ag/na