JPMorgan Chase and RBC lead global banking AI adoption

The 2026 Evident AI Index reveals that North American lenders are leading the global race in artificial intelligence adoption within the financial services sector. JPMorgan Chase maintains a dominant position, widening its lead over second-placed Capital One. Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) secured the third position globally and remains ranked first in Canada, marking its fifth consecutive year of leadership in the index.

UBS is the only European bank to feature in the top ten, climbing to sixth place. Other notable European institutions include HSBC, which fell to 11th, and Barclays, which rose to 19th. The index evaluates 50 large lenders across North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region based on four pillars: talent, innovation, leadership, and transparency.

Data indicates that AI capabilities among these banks improved nearly three times faster over the past year than in the previous three years combined. Contrary to concerns regarding job displacement, the report found that leading banks are actively recruiting AI specialists to drive growth rather than using the technology primarily for workforce reductions.