What Banks Should Prepare for in 2026: AI, Personalisation and a New Digital Ecosystem

As part of Finextra’s Predict 2026 series, Andrew Smith, CEO and Founder of Sporta, shared his vision for the forces shaping the financial industry in the coming year. His insights highlight three core themes: the acceleration of AI, the rise of wellbeing-driven services and the need for sharper personalisation within banking ecosystems.

AI Will Push Banks Toward Cloud-Native Architecture

Smith explains that despite the ongoing hype around AI, true adoption requires a foundation many banks still lack: cloud-native architecture. Legacy systems cannot support large-scale AI deployment, and 2026 will bring increased pressure to modernise operations at their core.

This shift is not optional—AI-driven experiences, from personalised insights to predictive services, depend on flexible, scalable cloud environments.

The Wellbeing Industry and Personalisation Will Reshape Expectations

Smith foresees continued growth in wellbeing-focused services. Banks will be expected to go beyond transactional products and support broader lifestyle, financial and emotional wellbeing goals. Hyper-personalisation—tailored financial journeys based on individual behaviours and needs—will be central to this shift.

He compares the evolution of banking to the transition from MySpace to Instagram—platforms that constantly reinvented themselves to stay relevant as user expectations changed.

Expert Analysis from Frederic NOEL

From my perspective, Smith’s predictions capture exactly where the industry is heading. AI cannot deliver real value until banks rebuild the “plumbing” beneath it. When operations, data and systems are fragmented, AI becomes surface-level. Cloud-native foundations are the missing ingredient for true transformation.

Frederic Yves Michel NOEL adds that the social-media analogy is particularly powerful. Banks must evolve into dynamic ecosystems shaped around individual preferences, behaviours and wellbeing—not static bundles of generic products.

Interview with Frederic NOEL

Q: Do you agree that AI adoption depends on cloud-native architecture?

A: Absolutely. Without modern infrastructure, AI remains limited to pilots. Cloud-native design lets banks scale intelligence across the organisation.

Q: What does “specialisation” mean for future banks?

A: It means building niche, personalised experiences rather than one-size-fits-all products. Users expect tailored, context-aware services.

Q: How important is wellbeing for financial institutions?

A: It’s becoming central. Financial health, emotional confidence and lifestyle integration will define future customer relationships.

FAQ

What is Predict 2026?

A thought‑leadership series exploring trends shaping the future of financial services.

Why is AI so dependent on cloud-native architecture?

Because AI requires unified data, scalability and high-speed computation that legacy systems cannot support.

What role will wellbeing play in banking?

It will influence product design, personalisation and customer engagement strategies.

How does social media evolution relate to banking?

Just like social platforms reinvented themselves to stay relevant, banks must continually adapt their digital ecosystems.

Related Searches

• AI adoption in banking
• Cloud-native infrastructure for financial services
• Personalised digital banking
• Wellbeing-driven financial tools
• Future banking trends 2026

Conclusion

Andrew Smith’s predictions offer a roadmap for what banks must prioritise as 2026 approaches: scalable AI infrastructure, hyper-personalisation and a shift toward wellbeing-centered services. Institutions capable of modernising their architecture and understanding evolving human behaviour will define the next era of financial innovation.