TROY, Mich. — Banks and credit card issuers are rapidly expanding the use of artificial intelligence-powered virtual assistants in their mobile apps and online platforms, but many consumers still encounter frustration when trying to resolve more complex issues, according to a new series of studies released by J.D. Power.
The studies found that while AI-powered assistants perform well for simple, transactional tasks, they often struggle when customers attempt to address fraud concerns, dispute charges or handle more complicated customer service issues.
The findings were included in four studies:
- J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Banking Mobile App Satisfaction Study
- J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Online Banking Satisfaction Study
- J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Credit Card Mobile App Satisfaction Study
- J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Online Credit Card Satisfaction Study
Jennifer White, managing director of financial services intelligence at J.D. Power, said the technology can create “frustrating self-service loops” when customers are unable to escalate issues to human support.
“While AI virtual assistants can streamline simple tasks, they consistently fall short in resolving complex customer service and fraud-related issues,” White said in a statement accompanying the studies.
Overall Digital Satisfaction Remains Strong
Despite frustrations tied to AI tools, J.D. Power said overall customer satisfaction with digital banking and credit card platforms remains relatively high.
According to the studies:
- Overall satisfaction with national bank mobile apps was 723 on a 1,000-point scale.
- Overall satisfaction with credit card mobile apps was 713.
- Customers cited fast logins, intuitive navigation and modern design as major strengths across most banking and card apps.
AI Assistant Use Still Limited
The studies found that only 28% of national bank and credit card app users currently use virtual assistants. However, customers who use the tools generally report higher satisfaction levels than nonusers.
Among virtual assistant users, overall satisfaction averaged 736, which was 18 points higher than among customers who did not use the tools, according to J.D. Power.
The report said satisfaction rises when consumers perceive virtual assistants as comprehensive and capable, but declines sharply when customers attempt to use the technology to resolve fraud issues or customer service disputes.
Jon Sundberg, director of digital solutions at J.D. Power, said banks and credit card providers still face challenges in creating tools that are both easy to use and capable of handling a broad range of tasks.
“This is really the next frontier for bank and credit card providers, and a critical piece of the equation to get right as customers increasingly become comfortable seeking financial information using AI-powered tools,” Sundberg said.
Younger Consumers Lead Adoption
According to the studies, virtual assistant users tend to be younger, more tech-oriented consumers who use mobile apps more heavily than older customers.
Among customers who described themselves as tech-savvy:
- 50% were members of Generation Z
- 36% were Millennials
- Affluent customers were comparatively less likely to use virtual assistants.
Top-Ranked Digital Banking Providers
J.D. Power also released rankings for banking and credit card digital experiences.
Among national banks:
- Chase ranked highest in banking mobile app satisfaction with a score of 730
- Wells Fargo ranked second at 728
- Bank of America ranked third at 727.
Online Satisfaction
For online banking satisfaction among national banks:
- Capital One ranked first for the second consecutive year with a score of 725
- Wells Fargo ranked second at 711
- Truist ranked third at 707.
Card Mobile Apps
Among credit card mobile apps:
- American Express ranked highest for the third consecutive year with a score of 746
- Wells Fargo ranked second at 739
- Chase ranked third at 732.
Card Satisfaction
For online credit card satisfaction:
- American Express ranked first for the third consecutive year with a score of 733
- U.S. Bank ranked second at 727.
- Bank of America ranked third at 713.
Among regional banks:
- Huntington Bank ranked highest in mobile app satisfaction with a score of 719
- Regions Bank ranked second at 717
- Fifth Third Bank ranked third at 703.
Huntington and Regions Bank tied for first in online banking satisfaction among regional banks, each scoring 724, followed by Fifth Third at 717, J.D. Powers said.
Four Categories
The studies measured customer satisfaction across four categories:
- Information
- Tools and capabilities
- System performance
- Design
J.D. Power said the studies were based on responses from 18,028 retail banking and credit card customers nationwide and were conducted between January and March 2026.
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