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2026: The year of Agentic AI, and a new era for finance

Published on: 21 January 2026 6 min read

Rohit Dhawan

Group Head of Artificial Intelligence

Rohit's profile

 

At a glance:

 

As we enter the new year, it’s clear that we are entering into a new era in artificial intelligence. The last two years have seen generative AI (GenAI) move from the periphery to the core of enterprise transformation. At Lloyds Banking Group, we’ve embraced this shift, embedding AI not just as a tool, but as a strategic enabler reshaping how we operate, serve customers, and prepare for the future. 

2026 marks a step-change: the rise of agentic AI. This isn’t an incremental improvement - it’s a paradigm shift. Agentic AI systems go beyond responsiveness; they are proactive, autonomous, and capable of orchestrating complex workflows across the enterprise. This evolution will redefine what’s possible for financial services, our customers, and the broader industry. 

 

What is agentic AI?

Agentic AI represents a leap from passive to active intelligence. Where GenAI responds to prompts, agentic AI can:

  • Act autonomously: Execute tasks, access data, and make decisions without human intervention. 
  • Orchestrate workflows: String together multiple agents to solve complex, multi-step problems. 
  • Adapt in real time: Respond to changing data and contexts, making decisions on the fly. 
  • Integrate deeply: Connect across systems, APIs, and data sources to deliver holistic solutions.  

This isn’t just a smarter chatbot. It is a new class of intelligent agent, capable of managing everything from complex queries to routine processes, freeing humans to focus on higher-value, strategic work.

The maturation of agentic AI 

The journey to agentic AI has been rapid but deliberate. The launch of large language models like ChatGPT in 2022-23 catalysed a wave of innovation that made GenAI mainstream. For large organisations, the adoption curve is steeper. Technology must be robust, secure, and integrated with legacy systems before it can scale.  

By 2026, agentic AI will move from pilot to enterprise-wide deployment. The technology is evolving from answering questions to taking actions: accessing systems, making decisions, and executing tasks autonomously. This is the year when agentic AI becomes not just available, but indispensable. 

The Impact of agentic AI at Lloyds Banking Group 

Across the Group, we’ve identified five strategic focus areas for agentic AI: 

1. Customer interactions 

Agentic AI will transform how customers engage with banks. Imagine a banking app where an intelligent agent understands a customer’s financial footprint, provides contextual guidance, and even takes simple actions on their behalf, such as completing forms. This makes financial guidance and literacy more accessible and personalised.  

2. Back-office operations 

Manual, repetitive tasks in fraud investigation, complaints processing, and credit support will be re-engineered by autonomous agents. These systems can process unstructured data, prioritise work, and execute actions, reducing turnaround times and improving accuracy. 

3. Frontline and relationship manager support 

Colleagues on the front line will be empowered by agentic tools that consolidate information, generate insights, and help them prepare for client meetings. This shifts their focus from data gathering to strategic, value-added conversations. 

4. Colleague assistance 

At the Group, we are introducing advanced agent-building tools, enabling teams to create and share agents that boost productivity. The vision is a “colleague super-agent” that can answer questions and automate routine tasks – always within the compliance boundaries. 

5. Engineering and developer enablement 

Agentic AI will accelerate software development, from code conversion to test script generation and prototype building. Our integrated developer platform will embed agentic tools, democratising innovation across the Group. 

We’re continuing to invest in colleagues’ AI capability through our Group‑wide AI Academy, offering practical, accessible learning that helps everyone build confidence with AI. Through tailored pathways and resources, from mandatory responsible AI training to role‑specific upskilling, the AI Academy supports colleagues to use AI safely, responsibly and effectively, helping us unlock smarter ways of working and deliver even better outcomes for customers. 

What agentic AI means for customers 

For customers, agentic AI means: 

  • Faster, more personalised service: Agents that understand context and can perform tasks on the customer’s behalf. 
  • Greater financial inclusion: Guidance and support for those who may not have access to traditional financial advice. 
  • Enhanced security and trust: With robust controls, monitoring, and human oversight, agentic AI can deliver value safely and responsibly.  

Implications of Agentic AI for the wider finance industry 

Agentic AI will transform finance by moving beyond automation to deliver autonomous, goal-driven systems that reason, act, and adapt in real time. This shift enables banks to offer hyper-personalised, always-on services, streamline operations, enhance risk management, and unlock new business models, all while demanding robust governance and workforce upskilling. 

Ultimately, agentic AI will empower financial institutions to deliver greater efficiency, resilience, and value for customers, while raising the bar for trust and responsible innovation. 

Addressing the agentic AI myths

 

Responsible innovation at Lloyds Banking Group

At Lloyds Banking Group, responsible AI is at the core of our strategy. We have built rigorous testing, human oversight, and scenario planning into every deployment. Our Responsible AI team ensures that every agent operates within clear guardrails, with real-time monitoring and escalation protocols. 

2026 is the year agentic AI moves from promise to practice. For the Group, it’s an opportunity to lead – not just in technology, but in trust, responsibility, and customer value. For the wider industry, it’s a call to reimagine what is possible, to embrace the future with ambition and care.

The journey is just beginning.  

 


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