BBVA just made one of the boldest bets any traditional bank has placed on generative AI. The Spanish multinational announced a strategic alliance with OpenAI to build what it calls an “AI-native banking model,” deploying ChatGPT Enterprise across its entire global workforce of 120,000 employees.

The deal was announced on December 12, 2025, by BBVA Chair Carlos Torres Vila and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. It represents a tenfold expansion from earlier pilot programs that had been limited to 11,000 staff members.

From pilot to full deployment

The bank’s earlier trial run with 11,000 employees produced some compelling numbers. Participating staff saved an average of three hours per week on routine tasks. Even more telling, 80% of those pilot users were leveraging the technology on a daily basis.

The multi-year program is designed to integrate generative AI tools across a wide range of banking operations, including customer-facing services, internal workflows, and operational processes.

Among the prototypes already in development: a conversational banking application embedded within ChatGPT that delivers responses tailored to individual customer needs. BBVA has also built an internal AI assistant called “Blue” to support employee productivity.

DeployCo and the bigger picture

In May 2026, BBVA became a founding partner of OpenAI’s Deployment Company, known as DeployCo. That puts BBVA alongside firms like Goldman Sachs in a consortium specifically designed to accelerate enterprise-wide AI development.

BBVA received The Banker awards for Best Technology Bank in Western Europe and Best Bank-Fintech Partnership in 2026, both directly linked to its OpenAI collaboration.