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S&P Says Bank AI Strategies Will Start to Shape Credit Ratings

September 21, 2026 at 12:15 EDT

Finance
AI Agents

S&P Global Ratings said banks' use of artificial intelligence will increasingly influence their credit ratings over the next several years, shifting AI from a technology program to a credit-quality variable. The agency said the divide will depend less on whether a bank is experimenting with AI and more on the maturity of its AI strategy, governance, operational readiness and risk controls.

Sept. 21, 2026 · S&P Global Ratings

AI Moves Into Bank Credit Risk

AI strategy, governance and operational readiness are set to influence how bank credit quality is judged over the next several years.

179

finance firms surveyed globally

maximum expected AI cost reduction

67%

intend to deploy AI agents

Deployment gap: internal first

43%

internal AI deployment

external-facing systems

Banks are putting AI into back-office and internal workflows faster than customer-facing systems.

Credit upside

Efficiency gains, better fraud analytics, sharper risk pricing and revenue growth could strengthen business profiles.

Credit pressure

Weak governance, unreliable models, cloud concentration and failed scaling can raise operational and reputational risk.

What ratings analysts will watch

AI strategyScaleHuman adoptionRisk management

The divide is not AI use alone. It is whether banks can turn AI into measurable gains while keeping the controls intact.

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