AI use hits 64% in IT, but infrastructure and governance constrain broader deployment; new tool helps institutions see where they stand
CARY, N.C., Sept. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As AI use proliferates in the SMB sector, small banks, credit unions and lenders have put banking on the AI leaderboard – ahead of similarly sized firms in insurance, government, health care and life sciences – according to a recent AI readiness study by SAS, with research and analysis by IDC. Even so, the findings suggest institution-wide AI remains elusive.
The study, AI for SMBs: Closing the Readiness‑Reality Gap, is based on a survey of 1,600 small and midsized business (SMB) leaders across 28 countries in five global regions. SMBs were defined as organizations with 100 to 999 employees in the U.S. and 100 to 499 employees in other markets.
Among five SMB industries examined, financial institutions show the strongest strategic alignment, most established governance practices and greatest integration of AI into day-to-day operations. Yet the study's banking AI readiness findings* also expose significant growing pains:
- AI use is concentrated in IT. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of small financial institutions use AI in IT. That's compared with 47% in finance and risk, 44% in marketing, 42% in customer service and 39% in product development.
- Infrastructure is often a bottleneck. About 2 in 5 respondents (39%) say their infrastructure is not ready, or is too costly, for broader AI deployment.
- Governance concerns loom large. Security, privacy and compliance concerns are the top barrier to scaling AI, cited by 40% of small financial institutions.
- Fragmentation creates another drag. One-third (33%) cite the lack of a unified data, analytics and AI platform among their AI challenges.
The findings arrive as SAS heads to Sibos, Sept. 28 – Oct. 1 in Miami, where its experts will lead discussions on AI readiness, trust, agentic AI, payments and financial crime. Attendees can connect with SAS at Booth I073 throughout the conference.
"For smaller financial institutions, scaling AI does not mean recreating the technology architecture of a global bank," said Chris Marshall, Vice President of Financial Services at IDC. "The smarter path is to focus internal resources where they create the most value and lean on technology and implementation partners to extend what the institution can accomplish on its own. The right ecosystem and the right collaborators can turn integration complexity into a manageable, even accelerated, path forward."
Where small-bank AI goes next
Banking respondents' top-cited near-term AI priorities show greater focus on practical capabilities than novelty:
- Automating and streamlining core business processes (30%).
- Reducing costs through efficiency and automation (30%).
- Improving data quality and integration (28%).
- Increasing product and service innovation (26%).
Banking also leads the SMB industries studied in moving beyond isolated AI pilots. The most advanced institutions aren't just adding more use cases but strengthening the foundations beneath.
"AI pilots often become islands of innovation," said Alex Kwiatkowski, Director of Global Financial Services at SAS. "One team builds a high-impact fraud use case. Another launches a sharper risk model. A third automates a process. Each initiative delivers tangible benefits, but they don't add up to an AI strategy.
"Real transformation requires organizations to bridge those islands – connecting siloed functions and decisioning capabilities through shared data, governance and infrastructure – so AI travels farther and faster across the organization."
AI's bigger payoff lies beyond IT, where it currently dominates. Expanding adoption across finance and risk, and into more customer-focused areas like marketing, customer service and product development, can compound isolated gains into more consequential, institution-wide returns – strengthening fraud and risk management, customer experience, product innovation and more.
On Oct. 16, SAS will host a webinar to further explore these issues. AI Readiness vs. Reality: Moving Beyond the Hype in Banking and Insurance will focus on practical, responsible strategies for turning AI ambition into business impact.
How AI-ready is your institution?
Small and midsized banks and credit unions can benchmark their own AI maturity with SAS' AI Readiness Calculator. The 11-question assessment, based on the SAS and IDC AI Readiness Index, evaluates organizations across planning, building, enabling and executing.
Each participant receives a personalized report highlighting strengths, readiness gaps and recommended next steps based on the institution's maturity stage, priorities and industry.
For more on applying AI across risk, fraud and customer experience, explore SAS' AI in Banking resources.
*Source: IDC Resource Map Document, sponsored by SAS, SMB AI Readiness, Doc. #EUR154930226 [May 2026].
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