Citigroup is turning up the dial on AI — and not just with buzzwords.
A new internal strategy reveals sweeping plans to embed AI across its global operations, including early bets on agentic AI that could reshape how the bank runs behind the scenes.
The message to staff is clear: this is no longer experimentation. It’s execution.
The Latest Shift: Inside Citi’s AI Acceleration Plan
In a company-wide memo sent to 200,000 employees, Citigroup announced a bold expansion of its AI strategy, placing the technology front and center in its digital transformation efforts.
The initiative is being led by a trio of senior executives: Gonzalo Luchetti (US personal banking), Tim Ryan (technology and business enablement), and Anand Selva (COO). Together, they’ll co-sponsor Citi’s AI programs and serve on the executive management team driving the agenda.
The memo outlines Citi’s goal to become an “AI-ready workforce,” with over 150,000 employees already equipped with Citi-built tools. From GenAI pilots to workflow integrations, the firm is scaling its AI suite rapidly.
Current deployments include a voice-assist AI for the consumer banking division, a chat-based document analysis tool (Citi Stylus), and an integration of AI support within Microsoft Teams.
More than 2,000 employees have been enlisted in training programs to support internal AI adoption. The company is also advancing a partnership with Google Cloud’s Vertex platform to develop and host its AI tools securely.
Notably, Citi is now exploring agentic AI — autonomous systems that pursue goals and make decisions with minimal human input. “We’re well underway with Agentic AI,” the leaders said, hinting at more updates coming soon.
What’s at Stake: Why This Signals a Deeper Shift
This isn’t just another internal tech memo. Citi’s new push positions AI as a business core, not an IT feature.
It comes at a time when the bank is under pressure to modernize — both from regulators and investors — and has long faced criticism over legacy systems that lag behind peers like JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs.
AI could be the lever Fraser’s leadership needs to close that gap. From fraud detection to trade settlement and operational workflows, the technology promises efficiency without sacrificing oversight.
And with agentic AI on the roadmap, Citi is signaling it’s thinking beyond chatbots and copilots — toward systems that can intelligently act on behalf of teams, not just assist them.
Expert Insight
“We firmly believe that to be competitive in this digital evolution, we must be an AI-ready workforce — nimble and ready for what this technology can unlock,” wrote Luchetti, Ryan, and Selva in the internal memo.
They emphasized urgency: connecting teams, prioritizing resources, and fast-tracking AI use cases across business units are now front-line priorities.
GazeOn’s Take: Where This Could Go From Here
Citi isn’t just reacting to a trend — it’s building infrastructure for an AI-centric institution. With 150,000 employees already using internal tools, and agentic AI in development, this looks less like experimentation and more like systemic rewiring.
If the rollout succeeds, it may become a model for large-scale enterprise AI — not just in finance, but across legacy-heavy industries.
Your Call
Is Citigroup’s agentic AI move a bold leap — or is it still catching up to its Wall Street peers?
Sources: Business Insider
About Author:
Eli Grid is a technology journalist covering the intersection of artificial intelligence, policy, and innovation. With a background in computational linguistics and over a decade of experience reporting on AI research and global tech strategy, Eli is known for his investigative features and clear, data-informed analysis. His reporting bridges the gap between technical breakthroughs and their real-world implications bringing readers timely, insightful stories from the front lines of the AI revolution. Eli’s work has been featured in leading tech outlets and cited by academic and policy institutions worldwide.
