Itaú is expanding its AI First strategy to customers and employees in Brazil through ia.i, a conversational service, and IARA, a platform for governing and coordinating access to AI models. OpenAI published the account of the bank’s rollout on October 16, 2026. Itaú says it aims to make ia.i available to its entire customer base by the end of 2026; around 300,000 customers were included in its first phase.

Launched after the bank introduced financial AI capabilities for specific needs in 2024, ia.i brings account, credit, card, insurance and other service interactions into one interface, activated by text or voice. It can connect customers with specialized human support. The bank says the service can help with questions about account statement expenses, investment advice and transactions on WhatsApp. Its design combines text, voice, images and clicks, and uses a range of models for tasks with different cost, latency and reasoning needs. Customer DNA provides financial context for approximately 70 million customers; GPT‑5.x models are among the components used to maintain and enrich it under governance and responsible AI controls.

Itaú says research it conducted with Grupo Consumoteca found that 80% of Brazilians want better ways to organize their finances and more effective decision support, while 65% want technologies that act as a financial copilot with ongoing guidance. The bank began ia.i with around 300,000 customers to learn how people use the service and how it may benefit their daily financial lives.

IARA gives Itaú teams controlled access to different models under internal policies. The bank says the platform supports its legal department’s document reading, analysis and interpretation across a repository of more than 90 million documents, and handles more than 2 million tasks per month. The legal solution reports efficiency gains of 20% to 80% in stages of departmental processes. IARA addresses token costs, response accuracy and responsible AI policies, while giving teams observability (the ability to monitor system activity) in a regulated banking environment. Itaú says its responsible AI controls cover development and continuous monitoring, including efforts to reduce bias and keep responses aligned with the bank’s values and culture.

The bank also uses its AI layer to assist specialists, managers and customer service teams with meeting summaries and preparation, issue research, and plans or alternatives. Itaú expects these tools to provide three times more time for customer relationships, enable service up to twice as fast and make conversations up to three times more effective. Planned ia.i capabilities include product simulations and sign-ups, along with recurring analysis of income, expenses and habits. The bank expects to extend access to its full customer base by the end of 2026.

Itaú is expanding its AI First strategy to customers and employees in Brazil through ia.i, a conversational service, and IARA, a platform for governing and coordinating access to AI models. OpenAI published the account of the bank’s rollout on October 16, 2026. Itaú says it aims to make ia.i available to its entire customer base by the end of 2026; around 300,000 customers were included in its first phase.

Launched after the bank introduced financial AI capabilities for specific needs in 2024, ia.i brings account, credit, card, insurance and other service interactions into one interface, activated by text or voice. It can connect customers with specialized human support. The bank says the service can help with questions about account statement expenses, investment advice and transactions on WhatsApp. Its design combines text, voice, images and clicks, and uses a range of models for tasks with different cost, latency and reasoning needs. Customer DNA provides financial context for approximately 70 million customers; GPT‑5.x models are among the components used to maintain and enrich it under governance and responsible AI controls.

Itaú says research it conducted with Grupo Consumoteca found that 80% of Brazilians want better ways to organize their finances and more effective decision support, while 65% want technologies that act as a financial copilot with ongoing guidance. The bank began ia.i with around 300,000 customers to learn how people use the service and how it may benefit their daily financial lives.

IARA gives Itaú teams controlled access to different models under internal policies. The bank says the platform supports its legal department’s document reading, analysis and interpretation across a repository of more than 90 million documents, and handles more than 2 million tasks per month. The legal solution reports efficiency gains of 20% to 80% in stages of departmental processes. IARA addresses token costs, response accuracy and responsible AI policies, while giving teams observability (the ability to monitor system activity) in a regulated banking environment. Itaú says its responsible AI controls cover development and continuous monitoring, including efforts to reduce bias and keep responses aligned with the bank’s values and culture.

The bank also uses its AI layer to assist specialists, managers and customer service teams with meeting summaries and preparation, issue research, and plans or alternatives. Itaú expects these tools to provide three times more time for customer relationships, enable service up to twice as fast and make conversations up to three times more effective. Planned ia.i capabilities include product simulations and sign-ups, along with recurring analysis of income, expenses and habits. The bank expects to extend access to its full customer base by the end of 2026.