In a landmark move signaling a deep commitment to artificial intelligence, Spanish banking giant BBVA is rolling out OpenAI's ChatGPT Enterprise to its entire global workforce of 120,000 employees.[1][2] This strategic expansion, a tenfold increase from its previous deployment, represents one of the largest implementations of generative AI within the highly regulated financial services industry.[1][2] The initiative moves beyond mere experimentation, embedding AI directly into the core operational backbone of the bank to overhaul everything from internal productivity and risk analysis to the fundamental nature of customer service. Through a multi-year strategic alliance with OpenAI, BBVA aims to transition into an "AI-native" institution, leveraging the technology to create a more proactive, personalized, and efficient banking experience for both its employees and customers across 25 countries.[1][2][3][4]

BBVA's decision to go all-in on generative AI was not a leap of faith but a calculated move based on a data-driven, phased approach that began nearly two years ago.[2][5][6] The bank initiated its journey in May 2024, deploying 3,300 ChatGPT Enterprise accounts to an initial cohort of employees to test and validate potential use cases.[1][2][7] After observing initial success, this pilot was expanded to 11,000 staff members.[2][6] The results from this larger trial provided a compelling business case for a full-scale rollout. Internal data revealed that employees using the AI tools saved an average of nearly three hours per week on routine tasks.[1][3][8][9][10][4] Engagement was remarkably high, with over 80 percent of licensed users accessing the platform daily.[2][9] This bottom-up innovation saw employees create thousands of custom GPTs tailored for specific duties in areas like legal, marketing, and finance, proving the tool's utility across diverse functions.[6][9][11] This successful pilot phase demonstrated tangible productivity gains and served as the foundation for the decision to scale the technology across the entire organization.[10]

The strategic partnership with OpenAI aims to fundamentally reshape BBVA's internal operations by embedding AI into mission-critical workflows.[2] A key area of focus is the streamlining of risk analysis, a traditionally resource-intensive process for financial institutions.[2][5][7] Beyond risk, the collaboration is set to redesign software development processes and enhance general employee support systems.[2][3][7][4] Engineering teams from both BBVA and OpenAI will work closely to co-create solutions and train AI models specifically for banking applications.[5][8] Already, custom applications are making an impact; a "Credit Analysis Pro GPT" assists risk analysts by automating data extraction, while a "Retail Banking Legal Assistant GPT" has dramatically streamlined responses to client legal inquiries.[11] This deep integration is about augmenting human capabilities, allowing employees to offload repetitive administrative work and dedicate more time to strategic, high-value tasks.[12] To ensure a safe and consistent rollout, the program includes specialized training for employees and structured adoption models developed in collaboration with legal, compliance, and IT security teams.[1][3][11]

While internal efficiency is a major driver, BBVA's AI ambition extends prominently to redefining the customer experience.[2] The bank is working to develop intelligent conversational assistants that can support clients with daily banking needs, setting a new benchmark for service and engagement.[5] It has already deployed a virtual assistant named Blue, built on OpenAI models, to help customers manage accounts and cards using natural language.[1] Looking ahead, BBVA is exploring ways to integrate its products and services so that customers can interact with the bank directly through the main ChatGPT interface, meeting them on platforms they already use.[1][2] The bank has demonstrated a concept for its digital banks in Italy and Germany that would allow users to discover products and services through a dedicated BBVA app built into the conversational assistant.[6][13] This customer-centric approach is central to the vision articulated by BBVA Chairman Carlos Torres Vila, who stated the alliance aims to create a "smarter, more proactive, and completely personalized banking experience, anticipating the needs of every client."[1][2]

Ultimately, BBVA's massive deployment of ChatGPT Enterprise marks a pivotal shift in the financial sector's relationship with artificial intelligence, moving from isolated experiments to core business transformation. The multi-year collaboration with OpenAI is not merely a technology procurement but a strategic alignment intended to fundamentally alter how the bank operates, innovates, and serves its clients.[2][5] By giving its entire workforce access to powerful AI tools and co-creating solutions for both internal and external challenges, BBVA is placing a multi-million dollar bet that the future of banking is AI-native. The success of this initiative will be closely watched across the industry, potentially setting a new standard for how legacy institutions can harness generative AI to drive efficiency, foster innovation, and maintain a competitive edge in an increasingly digital world.