Sberbank’s leadership has placed artificial intelligence at the core of its strategic horizon for 2024 through 2026, a stance outlined by the bank’s president, German Gref, during an Investor Day report covered by RIA News. He asserted that AI will steer the bank’s agenda and become a catalyst for broader economic and social progress in the years ahead. The emphasis is on responsible development of AI, aimed at delivering tangible benefits to people and shaping what he described as a new, human-centered model for the economy and society as a whole. This reframing signals a shift away from a model that treats consumers primarily as income sources toward deeper, value-driven engagements with customers across multiple sectors. Gref underscored that Sberbank intends to participate actively in this transformation, aligning its AI initiatives with broader societal needs and long-term public value.
Earlier in the Investor Day program, Andrey Belevtsev, Senior Vice President, CTO, and Head of the Sberbank Technologies unit, outlined the operational plan tied to the bank’s prior strategy cycles. He noted a substantial escalation in IT investments, announcing a fourfold increase in the budget dedicated to advancing information technology and related innovations. This surge reflects a clear bet on digital capabilities as a driver of competitiveness and new revenue streams for the group. Belevtsev highlighted that several Sber-developed solutions have not only streamlined internal operations but also show strong market potential, with some offerings already contributing incremental profits to the corporate portfolio.
The Investor Day remarks connected the dots between strategic intent and practical outcomes, illustrating how Sberbank views technology as a platform for scalable value creation. The leadership emphasized that AI-enabled products and services are being pursued with a focus on user-centric design, data ethics, and robust governance to ensure trust and reliability in customer interactions and back-end processes. The conversations during the event also touched on how these AI capabilities can unlock efficiencies, accelerate product development cycles, and support strategic decision-making across the bank’s operations and external partnerships.
Industry observers note that Sberbank’s approach aligns with a broader trend where traditional financial institutions leverage AI to enhance customer experience, manage risk more effectively, and explore new business models. By prioritizing responsible AI and human-centric outcomes, the bank is positioning itself to respond to evolving consumer expectations and regulatory environments while maintaining competitive agility in a rapidly changing tech landscape.
In related discussions, analysts pointed out that the investment pace in IT and AI should be measured against practical delivery, including the integration of AI into existing financial products, customer service channels, and enterprise platforms. The strategy presented at the Investor Day suggests a roadmap for sustained innovation, balanced by governance and oversight to ensure that AI initiatives deliver real value without compromising security or trust.
All of this signals a concerted effort to fuse technological capability with strategic purpose, helping Sberbank move beyond a traditional banking model toward a more adaptive, tech-enabled organization. The long-term objective is clear: to harness AI in ways that enhance everyday life for customers, create new economic opportunities, and contribute to a resilient digital economy in Canada and the United States, as well as across global markets where the bank operates. RIA News noted these commitments as part of a broader narrative about responsible progress and the responsible deployment of advanced technologies.