Banks aren’t only theorizing about AI nowadays. They're operationalizing it.

In this episode, host Kristie Han (Canapi) sits down with Sangeetha Menon (Head Cloud Analytics, AI/ML & Gen AI Platforms, Truist) and Kevin Johnson (Director of Information Technology, AI, Data, & Modernization, Synovus) to discuss how AI is actually being deployed inside financial institutions today. Drawing on real examples, they break down where AI is already delivering workflow improvements, customer impact, and measurable ROI.

The conversation also explores why some pilots scale while others stall, the organizational structures that make adoption possible, and what strong AI governance really looks like across validation, oversight, data, and vendor management. Kristie, Sangeetha, and Kevin close by sharing where they expect AI and agentic systems to have the biggest near-term impact in banking and the practical first steps leaders should take when beginning their AI journey.