How BNY Scaled AI: 7 Lessons for Enterprise Enablement
Jan 20, 2026
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries, revolutionizing workflows, and offering unparalleled opportunities for growth. For large organizations, the challenge lies not just in adopting AI but in achieving enterprise-wide scalability while maintaining security, efficiency, and innovation.
Bank of New York Mellon (BNY), one of the world's most influential financial institutions, offers a masterclass in accomplishing this transformation. Under the leadership of Leanne Russell, their Chief Information Officer and Global Head of Engineering, BNY has embraced AI as a strategic enabler, leveraging it to modernize processes, empower teams, and safeguard global financial infrastructure.
This article explores BNY's journey to becoming an AI-first organization, highlighting the strategies, lessons, and innovative practices that make their approach a benchmark for mid-to-large enterprises.
BNY: A Legacy Institution Adapting to the Digital Era
Founded in 1784, BNY Mellon has played a pivotal role in global financial markets for over 240 years. The organization oversees a staggering $57 trillion in assets and serves as the sole clearance and settlement authority for U.S. treasuries. Despite its legacy, BNY has demonstrated agility in evolving into a modern, tech-forward entity.
Leanne Russell, with her extensive experience at BP, brought a fresh perspective to BNY's operations. Her leadership has been instrumental in driving AI adoption, enabling the organization to achieve unprecedented levels of efficiency and innovation.
The Foundation of BNY's AI Strategy
BNY's AI journey rests on a fundamental principle: enablement. According to Russell, "Enablement is the number one priority for us." The bank has adopted the mantra "AI in the hands of everyone for everything, everywhere", emphasizing the democratization of artificial intelligence across all roles and functions.
Creating an AI-Literate Workforce
One of BNY’s most remarkable achievements is training 99% of its workforce on generative AI. This was accomplished through an internal platform named "Eliza", named after Alexander Hamilton’s wife. Eliza serves as a centralized AI resource, enabling employees to automate tasks, enhance productivity, and reduce cognitive load.
Initial Training: Employees were guided on how to use Eliza safely and effectively.
Advanced Boot Camps: Nearly 1,000 employees completed 40-hour intensive AI boot camps designed to deepen their expertise.
Gamification: To sustain engagement, BNY gamified the learning process during quiet periods, encouraging employees to continuously improve their AI skills.
This comprehensive enablement ensures that every employee - regardless of their technical background - can contribute to BNY’s AI strategy.
Empowering Leadership with Hands-On AI Experience
At BNY, leadership sets the tone for innovation. Russell emphasized the importance of leading by example, stating, "We want leaders who are builders and understand tools hands-on."
Executive Training: Members of the executive committee, including CEO Robin Vince, participated in coding courses and hackathons to better understand AI and its applications.
Vibe Coding: Leaders engaged with AI-assisted coding platforms, such as GitHub Copilot and WinSurf, to prototype and innovate alongside their teams.
This hands-on approach fosters a culture of experimentation and collaboration while reducing barriers between ideation and execution.
Leveraging AI to Redefine Business Processes
Productivity Gains with Generative AI
BNY has integrated generative AI tools into daily workflows, enabling employees to automate repetitive tasks and focus on high-value activities. For example:
AI agents built by employees optimize processes, such as summarizing data, detecting anomalies, and automating routine communications.
AI-assisted coding tools like GitHub Copilot have improved developer productivity and reduced the time required to deploy solutions.
"The sheer developer joy and speed of production are game-changing", Russell noted.
Digital Employees: The Workforce of the Future
BNY has also introduced 120 digital employees - AI-driven systems that perform specific tasks traditionally executed by humans. Key highlights:
Roles and Reporting: These digital employees have login credentials, report to human managers, and interact via email or communication platforms like Teams.
Performance Management: Just like human employees, digital employees undergo performance evaluations. Non-performing digital employees are "retired."
Example Use Case: A digital engineer scans codebases for vulnerabilities, fixing minor issues autonomously and alerting human managers for complex ones.
By managing digital employees as an extension of their workforce, BNY ensures efficiency while maintaining accountability.
Building a Next-Generation Talent Pipeline
Recognizing the importance of fresh perspectives, BNY has hired its largest analyst classes in recent years. The organization is also partnering with academic institutions like Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Central Florida to co-create AI and cybersecurity solutions.
These efforts reflect BNY’s commitment to fostering innovation, equipping the next generation with the tools and skills needed to thrive in an AI-first world.
The Role of Culture and Experimentation
BNY’s success with AI stems from its culture of curiosity and experimentation. Employees are encouraged to push boundaries, build prototypes, and explore the "art of the possible."
For example, a live company-wide town hall demonstrated how to build an AI agent in real time. Such initiatives inspire confidence and creativity, empowering employees to envision new ways of working.
The Broader Implications of AI-Driven Transformation
As AI continues to evolve, BNY is exploring other transformative technologies, including quantum computing and blockchain. However, Russell emphasized that there’s still untapped potential in AI itself, which remains central to the bank's innovation agenda.
"We’ve accomplished so much in a short time, but we’re just getting started", she remarked, highlighting her optimism for AI as a force for good.
A Personal Journey into AI
On a personal note, Russell shared her experience creating a digital twin - a virtual representation of herself powered by AI. Through daily journaling and data integration, her digital twin provides personalized insights, acting as a coach for her professional and personal life.
This highlights the potential of AI not only for organizational growth but also for individual empowerment.
Key Takeaways
Enablement is Key: BNY prioritized AI literacy, training 99% of its workforce on generative AI and equipping employees with tools like Eliza.
Lead from the Front: Leadership actively participates in AI initiatives, from coding courses to prototyping sessions.
Digital Employees: AI-powered systems are integrated into workflows, performing tasks autonomously while reporting to human managers.
Faster Innovation Cycles: AI tools enable teams to prototype and deploy solutions in days instead of weeks.
Academic Partnerships: Collaborations with universities fuel research in AI and cybersecurity.
Empower Creativity: Employees are encouraged to experiment with AI tools to find innovative solutions to challenges.
AI as a Force for Good: Beyond productivity, AI offers opportunities for personal growth, wellness, and democratized access to resources.
Conclusion
BNY Mellon’s journey demonstrates that scaling AI across an enterprise requires a blend of technology, culture, and leadership. By embedding AI into every aspect of its operations, the organization has redefined how a legacy institution can compete in the digital age.
For business leaders and decision-makers, BNY’s example serves as a roadmap for leveraging AI to optimize performance, foster innovation, and build a sustainable future. In a world increasingly defined by data and AI, the companies that embrace these tools will lead the charge into a new era of enterprise excellence.
Source: "AI for Everyone, Everywhere: Inside BNY’s Playbook for Enterprise Enablement | Technovation 1040" - Metis Strategy, YouTube, Dec 26, 2025 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqBW7tP5QS8