BOSTON — Small and midsize businesses are showing strong interest in artificial intelligence tools from their financial institutions, but their priorities are focused more on financial guidance and insights than autonomous banking, according to research from PYMNTS Intelligence and Velera, which also reveals that CU chatbot adoption has jumped to 46% from 3%.
The June/July 2026 edition of the Credit Union Tracker Series found 75% of small and midsize businesses would use at least one AI feature offered by their financial institution within the next two years. Among businesses with more than $1 million in annual revenue, the figure rises to 83%.
The research, produced by PYMNTS Intelligence in collaboration with Velera, found businesses are particularly interested in AI applications that help them understand their finances, manage cash flow and make decisions rather than systems that independently move money or select financial products.
About 31% of businesses surveyed expressed interest in AI-powered expense tracking, while 22% said they were interested in tools involving budgeting, cash-flow management, supplier discovery and comparisons of financial products, according to the report.
What Findings Suggest
The findings suggest credit unions could have an opportunity to introduce AI incrementally, beginning with advisory and informational tools before moving toward more autonomous applications, PYMNTS Intelligence said.
Although 76% of small businesses use AI in some capacity, just 14% have fully integrated the technology into their operations, according to the report. PYMNTS Intelligence said the gap indicates many businesses are adopting AI for specific tasks rather than implementing it broadly throughout their operations.
For credit unions, that could mean initially deploying tools such as expense analysis, cash-flow alerts and conversational financial guidance.
Growth in Use of AI
The report identified a potential progression in the use of AI by financial institutions, beginning with lower-risk applications that organize information, identify patterns and answer questions. More advanced systems could recommend financial actions, while autonomous applications could eventually execute transactions or make decisions on behalf of businesses.
Credit unions have already significantly expanded their use of chatbots. According to PYMNTS Intelligence and Velera, chatbot adoption among credit unions increased from 3% in 2019 to 46% in 2026.
Looking to 2029
PYMNTS Intelligence estimated that by 2029, nearly half of top-tier credit unions will offer AI-powered chat and financial advice capabilities, with middle-tier credit unions also increasing adoption.
The report identified conversational AI as one of the strongest near-term opportunities for credit unions, particularly systems capable of interpreting financial information rather than simply retrieving it.
Such tools could, for example, explain why a business’s cash balance declined, identify unusual spending patterns or show how an upcoming payment could affect short-term liquidity, according to the organizations.
Adoption in Stages
The organizations further said the findings suggest business members may be more comfortable adopting AI in stages — first using it to better understand their finances, then to assist with decisions and eventually to take financial actions on their behalf.
PYMNTS Intelligence and Velera said that progression could provide credit unions with a practical road map for expanding AI services while addressing operational, compliance and member-trust considerations associated with more autonomous technology.
