The new team marks a strategic shift for Canada’s largest lender by market value. By moving AI oversight under the direct supervision of President and CEO Dave McKay, RBC plans to bridge the gap between experimental use cases and market-ready financial solutions. The unit will collaborate with various business segments to integrate AI into core banking functions, leveraging the bank’s significant asset base and data scale.

Leadership and Strategic Integration

Bruce Ross, who previously led the bank’s technology and operations for 12 years, has been tapped to head the new AI group. Ross will be succeeded by Naim Kazmi, who steps in as executive vice president of commercial, core banking, and payments technology. This leadership shuffle underscores the bank's commitment to prioritizing AI as a central pillar of its technological infrastructure.

The move builds on RBC’s existing footprint in the sector, including a partnership with AI firm Cohere to develop "North for Banking," a generative AI tool tailored for financial services. Beyond immediate commercial applications, the bank stated the new team will focus on several key pillars:

• Advancing research into emerging use cases for agentic AI.
• Ensuring compliance with evolving regulatory expectations.
• Maintaining rigorous security and responsible AI standards.

By centralizing these efforts, the bank seeks to transform its internal data platforms into tangible value for clients while navigating the complexities of high-stakes financial technology.