Agentic AI in Financial Services: Former UBS and SAP Group CIO

Agentic AI in financial services faces a deployment challenge: banks run dozens of pilots, yet almost no agents operate in production.

The gap is in controls, not model capability: an agent operating within a regulated institution needs identity, permissions, audit trails, and human accountability. In Episode 925, Oliver Bussmann, former Group CIO of UBS, explores where agents add value and the conditions that must be met before granting them write access to critical systems.

Bussmann ran technology for UBS when it was the world's largest wealth manager and led the bank's early blockchain work. Today, he advises financial institutions and boards across Europe and writes a weekly executive briefing on agentic AI in finance. This is his third CXOTalk appearance, after conversations on the CIO role in 2014 and on fintech and blockchain in 2016.

What we will cover:

Why banks have dozens of AI pilots and almost no agents in production
The controls an agent needs before it can act in a regulated institution: identity, permissions, audit trails, and a human accountable for what it does
Why agent deployment is a governance question long before it becomes a technology question
Where agentic AI is delivering in financial services today
What conditions must be met before an agent gains write access to critical areas

Watch Episode 925 with Oliver Bussmann live on Friday, July 17, 2026, at 1:00 PM ET on CXOTalk. Join this interactive discussion and ask your questions!

This episode is brought to you by Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo™

Ready to scale agentic AI from pilot to production? Join top CIOs and IT executives at Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo, taking place this October 19th through the 22nd in Orlando, Florida. Over 300 Gartner analyst-led sessions will cover top priorities shaping IT—from AI value, governance, and cybersecurity to cost optimization, IT operating models, and beyond. Get practical, actionable insights—and connect with peers tackling the same challenges you are.

Secure your spot today at gartner.com/us/symposium.

JOIN LIVE AND ASK QUESTIONS

Friday, July 17
10am PT / 1pm ET / 7pm CEST

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EPISODE PARTICIPANTS

Oliver Bussmann advises enterprises, top-tier consultancies, and financial services companies looking to stay ahead of the digital disruption curve. He has held influential CXO roles across industries, including at UBS, SAP, Allianz, Deutsche Bank, and IBM.

Michael Krigsman is a globally recognized analyst, strategic advisor, and industry commentator known for his deep expertise in business transformation, innovation, and AI leadership.