Custody bank BNY joins the 5% of companies seeing real AI ROI with internal tool

BNY, one of the world’s largest custody banks, is among just 5% of companies seeing meaningful return on investment from artificial intelligence initiatives, according to the bank’s Chief Information Officer. The company has developed an internal AI tool called “Eliza” and is working toward 100% employee adoption of AI technology, positioning itself as a leader in enterprise AI implementation.

What you should know: BNY stands out in a crowded field where most companies struggle to demonstrate concrete AI ROI.

• Only 5% of organizations are currently seeing meaningful returns on their AI investments, according to Leigh-Ann Russell, BNY’s Chief Information Officer and Global Head of Engineering.
• The bank has created an internal AI tool named “Eliza” to help drive adoption across the organization.
• BNY is actively training employees with the goal of achieving complete AI adoption throughout the company.

Why this matters: The stark 5% figure highlights the ongoing challenge many enterprises face in translating AI investments into tangible business value.

• While AI adoption continues to accelerate across industries, the gap between implementation and meaningful returns remains significant for most organizations.
• BNY’s success in this area could provide a blueprint for other financial institutions and enterprises looking to maximize their AI investments.

Leadership perspective: Russell is spearheading the company’s comprehensive AI strategy from her unique dual role.

• Her position as both CIO and Global Head of Engineering allows her to oversee both the technical implementation and strategic business applications of AI across the organization.
• The focus on employee training suggests BNY recognizes that successful AI adoption requires human-centered change management alongside technological deployment.