US regional lender Customers Bank is accelerating its push into AI-powered banking through a multi-year partnership with OpenAI aimed at embedding advanced AI capabilities across its commercial banking operations. The collaboration will see the Pennsylvania-based bank integrate OpenAI models into core processes spanning lending, deposits and payments, while also working directly with OpenAI’s engineering teams to develop new operational use cases. The initiative is part of a broader effort by the bank to redesign its internal workflows and move toward what it describes as an AI-enabled operating model.
Customers Bank moves toward an AI-native operating model
Customers Bank, a subsidiary of Customers Bancorp with nearly 26 billion dollars in assets, provides commercial and retail banking services across multiple US states including Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Texas.
Founded in 2009 following the recapitalisation of community lender New Century Bank, the institution has grown steadily over the past decade and now operates 25 locations nationwide while expanding its presence in commercial banking and specialised lending segments.
Through the partnership with OpenAI, the bank plans to deploy AI models across several operational layers of the organisation, particularly within lending workflows, deposit management and payments processing.
The goal is to streamline operational tasks, improve decision-making speed and introduce automation across key banking processes that traditionally require significant manual intervention.
AI supporting relationship-driven banking
Customers Bank says its AI strategy is designed to enhance, rather than replace, its relationship-focused banking model.
The bank operates a single point of contact approach for commercial clients, where dedicated bankers manage relationships and oversee financial needs. By automating operational and administrative workloads, AI is expected to allow these bankers to spend more time on client engagement, advisory conversations and complex financial solutions.
The bank has already begun deploying AI tools internally, with a significant portion of its workforce now using OpenAI-powered tools as part of their daily activities.
AI agents planned for customer service and onboarding
Alongside its OpenAI partnership, Customers Bank has also signed an agreement with London-based voice AI fintech ElevenLabs to deploy a series of AI-driven service agents.
Over the coming months, the bank plans to introduce:
- A coaching agent designed to assist call centre staff
- An onboarding agent to guide customers through new account setup
- A 24/7 voice and chat support agent capable of handling account enquiries, card services and transfers
These agents will operate across phone, web and mobile channels, enabling customers to access support at any time while reducing operational pressure on human service teams.
A broader push to transform bank operations with AI
The OpenAI collaboration forms part of a larger transformation strategy within Customers Bank aimed at modernising its internal infrastructure and operational processes.
Over the past year, the bank has invested in building the governance, operational frameworks and infrastructure necessary to deploy AI across a regulated banking environment. This groundwork is intended to ensure that AI can be implemented at scale while maintaining strict compliance and risk management standards.
By combining OpenAI’s advanced models with internal expertise and fintech partnerships, Customers Bank is positioning itself among a growing group of financial institutions attempting to develop AI-first operating models.
What this means for the industry
- Regional banks are increasingly adopting AI as a core operational capability rather than an experimental technology.
- AI is being embedded into everyday banking workflows such as lending, payments and client servicing.
- Automation may strengthen relationship banking by reducing administrative workloads for bankers.
- Partnerships between banks and AI technology providers are becoming a key driver of large-scale AI deployment in financial services.
