From hype to habit: Marguerite Bérard on AI at Money20/20
- Innovation
Jordi van Baardewijk
Sr Press Officer Risk Management, Compliance, HR, I&T and Detecting Financial Crime
At Money20/20, CEO Marguerite Bérard shared her vision on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in banking. Speaking on the main stage, she outlined how the bank is translating its AI ambitions into tangible value for clients and society.
Money20/20 brings together leaders from the financial, technology and fintech sectors each year to shape the future of money and financial services. This year, AI featured prominently in the discussions.
In her speech, Bérard emphasized that the true impact of AI only emerges when the technology becomes part of everyday work. “AI should not be seen as a hype, but as a core part of how we operate and deliver value,” she said.
Within ABN AMRO, AI is already widely adopted: more than 85% of employees use AI in their daily work. This contributes to more efficient processes, improved client service and greater room for innovation. During her presentation, Bérard shared eight key lessons guiding the implementation of AI across the organisation:
Lead by example – it starts at the top, with curiosity and continuous learning
Bring everyone along – more than 85% of colleagues already use AI in their daily work
Guardrails, not constraints – trust is what makes innovation scalable
Keep humans in control – AI should augment, not replace our thinking
Be disciplined and systematic – strong data, processes and scale make the difference
Empower internal innovators – give people room to experiment and move fast
Stay vigilant – AI also accelerates risk
Aim high – rethink what banking can be
According to Bérard, it is ultimately not just about technology, but about its impact. “AI does not make us less human. It challenges us to become better—for our clients and for society.” With this approach, ABN AMRO aims to deploy AI in a responsible and scalable way, balancing opportunities and risks.