124 FEATURE “Some of the exciting areas are mainframe and application transformation. Historically, these have been a slow, high-risk process. But with tools like GitHub Copilot and Microsoft Azure OpenAI, we’re seeing banks accelerate code understanding, documentation and test generation.” In Microsoft’s mainframe modernisation programmes, generative AI is helping teams reverse-engineer millions of lines of legacy code, generate test cases and assist in rewriting code into code languages like C# or Java. “This isn’t just about speed, it’s about reducing risk and improving quality,” says Pichach. “In fact, developers using GitHub Copilot report writing code up to 55 per cent faster, with higher satisfaction and fewer errors.” Faster coding means teams can focus more time on innovation and delivering business value, rather than getting bogged down in repetitive or manual tasks. Banks are also applying generative AI to streamline onboarding, automate document processing and modernise lending platforms, all while maintaining compliance and control. “The key is that AI isn’t just a layer on top of legacy systems, it’s becoming a catalyst for rethinking how those systems are built, maintained and evolved,” says Pichach. This shift is not just about core systems; it’s also about unlocking value across the entire business. In retail banking, that means using generative AI to drive productivity gains and support more consistent, compliant customer interactions. “What’s different now is that we can drive efficiency without sacrificing control,” explains Pichach. “We’re seeing banks use generative AI to reduce manual effort, improve auditability and accelerate time to insight, all while staying within the guardrails of regulatory expectations. Take regulatory document review, for example. What used to take weeks of manual scanning, impact analysis and control mapping can now be done in a fraction of the time. Using a suite of AI agents to manage regulatory updates, control quality assurance and gap analysis agents Tools like GitHub Copilot are helping banks to reduce risk and improve the quality of their services by writing code up to 45 per cent faster than usual Photo: Microsoft
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