In a move that surprised analysts, the CEO of Customers Bank revealed that the voice delivering part of his company’s earnings call was not his own, but an artificial intelligence clone.
Nearly 30 minutes into the call, CEO Sam Sidhu told participants that the prepared remarks they had heard “were delivered by my AI clone, not read by me”, marking what he described as a first for a public company earnings call, reported CNBC.
But the announcement was not just a novelty. It was meant to highlight a deeper shift underway at the $25.9 billion lender as it moves to integrate artificial intelligence into its core operations.
Sidhu said the use of an AI clone was intended to signal how seriously the bank is approaching AI adoption.
Customers Bank has signed a multi-year partnership with OpenAI, under which the company will embed engineers within the bank to help automate key functions such as lending and client onboarding, according to the report.
The bank is aiming to use AI not just for productivity gains but as a core part of its operating model.
One of the biggest changes the bank is targeting is a sharp reduction in processing time.
Sidhu said closing a commercial loan, which currently takes between 30 to 45 days, could be reduced to around seven days once AI systems are fully deployed.
Similarly, opening accounts for complex clients, a process that can take more than a day, could be brought down to under 20 minutes using conversational AI and automated documentation.
“When you have an autonomous agent, you’re essentially creating a digital worker and they can work around the clock,” Sidhu said as quoted by CNBC.
The bank plans to roll out AI agents across lending, deposits and payments over the next six to twelve months.
These AI systems are being positioned as “digital workers” that can handle tasks continuously without the need for breaks, potentially changing how banks structure their workforce.
Sidhu said the bank has already used AI to write about half of its software code, saving roughly 28,000 hours of work, equivalent to not hiring around 15 full-time employees.
“This is an opportunity for us to potentially slow that hiring and do more revenue per employee,” he said.
Unlike many companies that speak broadly about AI benefits, Customers Bank is tying its AI strategy to specific financial outcomes.
Sidhu said the initiative could improve the bank’s efficiency ratio from around 49% to the low 40s, which would support higher returns starting next year.
Customers Bank is relatively small compared to global lenders, but Sidhu believes that gives it an advantage.
Large banks often face more complex systems and stricter regulatory frameworks when implementing new technologies, while smaller banks can move faster.
“Smaller banks are not going to be expected to have the same level of frameworks as many of the larger banks,” he said, adding that regulators also want smaller institutions to remain competitive.
The partnership is not one-sided.
Sidhu said the bank and OpenAI will jointly develop enterprise solutions that could later be offered to other financial institutions.
“We’re going to be co-creating enterprise solutions they could potentially sell to other banks in the future,” he said.
OpenAI said the collaboration would help build a more efficient and intelligent banking model while improving customer service and reducing risk.
The use of an AI clone on an earnings call may have drawn attention, but the broader story is about how artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape banking operations.
From faster loan approvals to reduced hiring and improved efficiency, the shift suggests that AI is moving beyond experimentation and becoming central to how financial institutions operate.
For now, Customers Bank’s approach may be early, but it signals the direction in which the industry could be heading.