The newly announced BBVA OpenAI AI Transformation program marks one of the most ambitious technology shifts in global banking. BBVA and OpenAI have entered into a multi-year strategic collaboration designed to accelerate BBVA’s evolution into an AI-native financial institution, significantly expanding the role of generative AI across its worldwide operations. Under this expansion, the bank will deploy ChatGPT Enterprise to all 120,000 employees, making it one of the largest enterprise-wide AI rollouts in the financial services sector.
In this next phase, OpenAI will work closely with BBVA to redesign how the bank serves customers, streamlines internal workflows, and supports its employees. The expanded collaboration builds on almost two years of successful deployment, beginning in May 2024 when 3,300 ChatGPT accounts were provided to employees.
As usage delivered measurable benefits, including thousands of custom GPTs and an average of nearly three hours saved per week, BBVA increased access to 11,000 employees. Now, with the rollout to all global staff, the bank signals a strong commitment to embedding generative AI at the core of its organizational strategy.
BBVA’s leadership emphasizes that the goal is not only increased efficiency but also a deeper transformation of the customer experience. By integrating OpenAI’s latest models and tools, BBVA aims to ensure that every client receives more proactive, personalized, and context-aware support.
Chairman Carlos Torres Vila highlighted the bank’s ambition by noting that just as BBVA once led in mobile and digital transformation, it now intends to lead in the AI era with even greater momentum.
Furthermore, the new agreement introduces a dedicated team from both organizations who will collaborate across product, research, and technology success functions. This coordinated effort will enable BBVA to build AI-powered internal agents, advanced risk-analysis pipelines, and smarter workflows for operations, lending, and financial advisory. The collaboration also includes specialized training programs to ensure that AI adoption is structured, secure, and consistent across all departments.
ChatGPT Enterprise will empower employees with a robust suite of privacy and security protections, making the tools suitable for highly regulated environments. With access to OpenAI’s newest models and advanced enterprise capabilities, teams will be able to accelerate software development cycles, enhance decision-making, and streamline back-office processes. These tools will also support more effective collaboration among global teams, enabling them to share knowledge, automate routine tasks, and focus on higher-value innovation.
Beyond internal productivity, BBVA is already leveraging OpenAI technology to transform the customer journey. Its virtual assistant, Blue powered by OpenAI models, has begun redefining how customers manage cards, accounts, and daily financial tasks through natural language interactions.
As this partnership deepens, BBVA is exploring direct integrations that will allow customers to access banking services through ChatGPT, opening new possibilities for seamless financial engagement.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman praised BBVA’s rapid adoption and forward-looking approach, calling the bank a prime example of how large institutions can embrace AI with boldness and clarity. He emphasized that with this expanded collaboration, BBVA will embed AI into the heart of its products and workflows, setting a benchmark for the global financial sector.
This move is part of a broader trend, as more than one million business customers including Deutsche Telekom, Virgin Atlantic, and Accenture are now working with OpenAI technologies. Nevertheless, BBVA’s scale and regulated environment make this rollout particularly noteworthy. The initiative underscores how generative AI is transitioning from experimentation to operational core, reshaping how institutions think, build, and deliver value.
As banks navigate rising customer expectations and increasingly complex operational demands, BBVA’s strategy demonstrates how AI can become a foundational layer of the modern financial enterprise. With this partnership, BBVA positions itself at the forefront of an industry-wide shift toward intelligent banking where efficiency, personalization, and innovation are driven by powerful, secure AI systems working behind the scenes.
This expanded collaboration not only accelerates BBVA’s internal transformation but also redefines what AI-enabled banking can look like for customers across 25 countries. The journey toward becoming a truly AI-native bank has begun, and BBVA aims to lead the financial sector into this new era. For more breakthrough AI news and exclusive updates, keep exploring ainewstoday.org!
