Banking on Intelligence: Anthony Morris on Embracing AI and Technology Transformation in Banking

In this episode of Banking on Intelligence, nCino's Brandon Lokits sits down with Anthony Morris, Chief Industry Innovation Officer at nCino, to discuss the transformative moment facing the banking industry as artificial intelligence meets vast financial data repositories, and how institutions can navigate this technological shift while preserving the relationship-centric nature of banking.

Meet Anthony Morris

Anthony Morris brings decades of experience spanning both banking and technology to his role as Chief Industry Innovation Officer at nCino. With over 35 years in the industry, Morris has engaged with more than 500 banks throughout his career, giving him a unique global perspective on the evolution of financial services technology. His extensive background positions him perfectly to help financial institutions understand not just the promise of new technologies, but the practical pathways to implementation and success.

Brandon Lokits sits down with Anthony Morris

Key Insights: An Abbreviated Q&A

Brandon Lokits: What are some of the challenges you're seeing in the banking industry today?

Anthony Morris: We're at a tectonic shift in technology with artificial intelligence, and banking is fundamentally a data business. We've reached this pinnacle where the massive amounts of data that banks hold on their customers, plus what's available externally, can finally be channeled through technology that can unlock it. The challenge is how do you rise to this tectonic shift? The data that banks sit on is like spaghetti—it's all over the place, in tons of different formats, and difficult to access. To harness AI, you have to sort through it. It's really a fundamental question of, “How do I traverse this data and AI bridge to achieve outcomes that are really just gobsmacking for the industry?”

Brandon Lokits: How can banking be better in light of these tectonic shifts?

Anthony Morris: It's actually a simple answer. If you go back to when I was a teenager, banking was very much one-on-one with individuals. You had to physically go somewhere, they knew you, you trusted them, and there was this expectation of them helping you. The potential is to leverage technology to reestablish that type of connection—to get back to the experience and relationship that existed 30 or 40 years ago and remove all the obstruction that different technologies have created. We can put at everyone's fingertips what they need to help their customers in near real time, if not before the customer even knows they need it.

Brandon Lokits: Where do you see the role of relationships in banking's future?

Anthony Morris: Despite all the tech and promises of artificial intelligence, people still need someone they can trust and rely on to help them navigate their financial circumstances—whether they're growing a business or facing financial hardship. That relationship is absolutely critical. I can't see technology taking it away. For the vast majority of people and businesses, financial services firms need to be their partner. It's emotional. Until AI becomes emotional, are you going to trust an AI-generated version of someone? We still have a long way to go.

Brandon Lokits: How is nCino powering a new era in financial services?

Anthony Morris: What I'm trying to do is twofold. First, I'm inspiring and exciting the market, our customers, and new organizations to understand there's a better way to execute processes, get closer to customers, and work smarter. It's not as much about the technology—it's about how you embrace technology to deliver on that better way. After 35 years in banking and tech, I've heard promise after promise. My role is not just to show them the promised land, but to explain in practical terms how to unlock the journey there. You can't manage your business with 30, 40, 50 systems—I once dealt with a bank in England that had 3,000 systems. You have to go from a complex maze to something more consolidated, to a series of open platforms where data is shared and the user interface is as simple as any app you download. We help institutions see how nCino can be a core part of that transformation, setting up the vision and strategy for success.

Our Take

Anthony Morris's insights capture the unprecedented opportunity facing the banking industry today. Morris articulates a vision that resonates across financial institutions: the potential to harness artificial intelligence and vast data resources to recreate the trusted, personal banking relationships of decades past at digital speed and scale.

The challenge Morris identifies - bridging the gap between fragmented data systems and AI capabilities - is precisely what the nCino Platform addresses. Rather than adding another layer of complexity, nCino provides the consolidated, open architecture that Morris describes as essential for unlocking AI's potential in banking. The platform's ability to unify disparate data sources creates the foundation necessary for meaningful AI implementation.

Morris's emphasis on relationships over pure technology reflects nCino's core philosophy: technology should enhance human connections, not replace them. His vision of proactive, real-time customer service enabled by AI aligns with our approach of using innovation to strengthen the advisory role that makes banking fundamentally valuable to customers and communities.

The future Morris envisions—where banks can anticipate customer needs and provide guidance before problems arise—isn't just technological speculation. It's the practical outcome of combining clean, accessible data with AI capabilities on a unified platform. This represents the evolution from reactive banking to truly predictive, advisory financial services.

Banking on Intelligence is nCino's thought leadership series featuring conversations with industry leaders about the future of financial services. To learn more about how nCino can help your institution navigate the data-AI bridge while strengthening customer relationships, schedule a demo today.