The Brazilian banking sector is undergoing a historic inflection, driven by a significant leap in technology investments that have grown 58.4% over the last five years, reaching R$47.8 billion projected for 2025, according to research by Febraban. This intense pace of resource allocation not only solidifies banks as protagonists of digital transformation but also anchors and accelerates the development of the entire information technology ecosystem in the country. At the heart of this revolution is Artificial Intelligence (AI), which, alongside cloud computing, radically transforms the structure, products, and operations of financial institutions.
We are living in a time where being ‘digital-first’ is no longer enough, and this movement is no coincidence. It directly supports the evolution of technology companies—especially those with an ‘AI-Centric’ approach—that see the financial sector as an increasingly sophisticated, demanding, and willing client to invest in cutting-edge solutions.
The push for AI, Generative AI, and Analytics has created a virtuous cycle: the more banks advance in technological maturity, the more they demand innovative solutions, opening space for partnerships, new business models, and the development of specialized talent. In our case, the financial sector is more than a business vertical—it’s a true living laboratory for AI applications at scale.
The consolidation of AI as one of the pillars of banking architecture goes beyond rhetoric. The study by Febraban shows that a 61% increase in AI and data investments will be directed toward applications focused on operational efficiency, security, personalization, and prediction. The results are clear:
· 38% of banks that have already implemented AI report superior gains.
· 20% increase in efficiency.
· 80% already incorporate Generative AI into their operations with measurable productivity increases.
However, the most revealing statistic may be another: less than half of these institutions have structured governance for AI, which opens opportunities for technology companies to also contribute to the maturity and security of this transformation. This race for intelligence has multiplier effects.
In a country with structural challenges and infrastructure gaps, seeing the financial sector migrate all its business domains to the cloud and increase cloud investments in 89% of institutions sets a benchmark for requirements and competitiveness. The impact is immediate: more flexible and scalable infrastructure, greater capacity to process data in real time, and an environment more conducive to continuous innovation. This is a technological foundation that, once consolidated in banks, benefits the entire chain—from fintechs to corporate software providers.
Technology, when allied with strategy, transforms not just what we do but how we think. Real-time personalization, enabled by AI and data, has already become a requirement for banking customers, shaping the entire design of customer journeys and institutional relationships. According to projections internationally, the global hyper-personalization market in the financial sector could reach US$21.79 billion by 2031. For technology companies providing these solutions, there is a rare window of opportunity to scale innovation with direct and measurable impact on their clients’ businesses.
The advancement of AI in banks also has important internal effects: R$1.4 billion will be invested to improve employee work experiences, including reskilling and new hires in IT. Today, 11% of bank staff are already concentrated in technology, with growing demand for developers, data scientists, and cybersecurity specialists. This reinforces a crucial point: technological innovation in the banking sector is also an active policy for talent development and the generation of skilled jobs.
In a global scenario where 81% of banking CEOs consider investment in Generative AI a top priority, Brazil stands out not just for volume but for the speed of adoption. Today, technology is the banks’ greatest competitive differentiator, and ‘AI-Centric’ companies operating in this ecosystem play a key role in helping these institutions turn data into decisions, processes into intelligent platforms, and customers into protagonists of transformative digital journeys. All this positions the country as a center of excellence in banking technology and strengthens its image as a hub for technological innovation.
The future promises even greater challenges and opportunities, with trends like asset tokenization, the revolution in international payments, and the transformation of software engineering through AI. More than a reaction to disruption, the financial sector is paving the way for the next era of the digital economy. Continuous investment in technology by banks not only sustains but challenges the Brazilian IT sector to innovate constantly, with agility, responsibility, and a vision for the future.
In times of uncertainty, this movement is a clear signal: digital transformation is no longer a choice—it is the path to relevance and resilience. The growth of banking investments in technology not only sustains but accelerates the development of Brazil’s tech sector, creating a virtuous cycle of innovation that benefits the entire economy and strengthens Brazil’s position as a protagonist in global digital transformation.
