Santander extends AI tools to all 185,000 employees, targets $1.15 billion in business value

Santander Equips All Workers With AI and Seeks $1.15 Billion Business Value | PYMNTS.com

The bank already had 40,000 employees using AI tools and, as of Monday (June 22), it is extending the technology to all 185,000, according to an article emailed to PYMNTS by Santander. "For many employees, this means using AI in everyday productivity tools to prepare analysis, find information faster, summarize documents, improve customer conversations or simplify internal processes," Ricardo Martín Manjón, chief data and AI officer at Banco Santander, wrote in the article. Santander is deploying a variety of tools, including Microsoft's Copilot, OpenAI's ChatGPT, Anthropic's Claude, Google's Gemini, G42's banking solutions and other technology partners' tools. The bank is also providing training, practical guidance and communities through which employees can share examples and build confidence, according to the article. Before this expansion, Santander had 17,000 people using AI in software; saw 40% of its code developed in June by AI; had AI models processing 100,000 anti-money laundering alerts per year; and had more than 280 process automation agents in production. Santander started its current measurement period for the impact of AI in 2026 and saw 35 million euros (about $40.2 million) in business value generated in the first quarter. The bank gauges the business value generated in terms of both additional revenue and cost reductions, per the article. "Santander already has a clear AI strategy, measurable impact and the scale to turn selected capabilities into group-wide value," Martín Manjón said in the article. "We are not starting from theory: AI is already improving processes, supporting our teams and opening new opportunities across the bank." Santander said during a February Investor Day that it would leverage AI as it works to boost its profit and its customer base over the next 24 months. The bank said the technology part of its initiative includes investments in data and AI that will be embedded in the business and focused on delivering "hyper-personalized customer journeys."

Santander Targets More Revenue, Cost Cuts Through AI

Banco Santander said it aims to generate additional revenue and cost savings in coming years by deploying artificial intelligence across its operations. The Spanish bank has set a target for more than 1 billion euros ($1.15 billion) in AI gains over the 2026-28 period through a combination of extra revenue and cost reductions, its Chief Data and AI Officer Ricardo Martin Manjon said. In the first quarter, AI helped Santander generate 35 million euros in additional revenue and savings, he added. "We expect this figure to increase further in the second quarter and are on track to exceed 200 million euros by year-end, as selected solutions continue to scale across the group," Martin Manjon said. Santander is using several tools--including Microsoft's Copilot, OpenAI's ChatGPT, Anthropic's Claude, Google's Gemini, and G42--and has extended AI access to all its 185,000 employees, he said.