Welcome to the inaugural edition of Infinite Loop, a newsletter where we will gather interesting insights about AI and the world of financial services. The name comes from the trenches of FinTech where we, as FinBox, work on cutting-edge AI and ML technology that’s transforming the world of banking and lending.   

Unless you have been living under the rock, you know how the internet is drowning in Gliblfied artwork. The Ghiblification phenomenon we're witnessing online isn't just about aesthetic appreciation, it's a masterclass in viral adoption. People who had never heard of Hayao Miyazaki or Totoro are suddenly transforming their photos and sharing them widely. Why? The AI-powered Ghibli style offers something irresistible: instant cultural cachet wrapped in nostalgic warmth. This FOMO-driven trend has accomplished what countless marketing campaigns couldn't. Making millions feel personally connected to an artistic vision they barely knew existed last month.  Banking and finance, traditionally perceived as the antithesis of such enchantment, now stands at a similar crossroads with AI. Legacy banks will not just have to adopt AI but create experiences so intuitively appealing that customers eagerly use, discuss and share them, creating a virtuous cycle of adoption driven not by necessity but by genuine enthusiasm. 

Use Cases for When AI Speaks Your Language

We all remember that time when banking meant waiting in line to speak to a teller. With AI today, lenders have managed to create interfaces to deliver an experience without losing the human elements that build trust.  

1. From Robo-Advisors to Financial Companions  

The journey of robo-advisory has been an interesting one. Until a few years ago, robo-advisory focused primarily on algorithmic portfolio management. But with a new gen of AI financial tools into the picture, a capable robo-advisor is able to translate the complexity of finance into stories that make sense for individual users.  Consider how Morgan Stanley’s AI system analyzes thousands of research reports to deliver personalized investment insights for both clients and financial advisors. It does not replace the human advisor, but has amplified their capabilities, allowing them to have hyper personalized and meaningful conversation with clients.  Similarly, many bank statement analyzers don’t just underwrite with boxed metrics and policies but proactively identifies stories behind every transaction that is helping lenders understand their customers better to lend seamlessly and enhance their cross-sell lift by a phenomenal margin.  

2. PFM: Your Money, Your Story  

If you are a personal financial management nerd, you must have seen your digital banking apps, and apps like CRED , Fold Money, and more introducing Account Aggregators to create a comprehensive picture of your financial life. Instead of dozens of disconnected accounts, modern PFM platforms powered by AI weave everything into a coherent narrative about your personal financial journey.  Plaid is one such platform, which connects with over 12,000 financial institutions, allowing fintech applications to create unified financial experiences . When paired with predictive AI, these tools don't just show where your money went, they help write the next chapter of your financial story. This is a highly relevant offering for lenders to build immersive, deep-engagement app experiences that can also drive intelligence for providing precise financial offerings such as loans or credit cards just when their customers are most primed to buy.  

3. The Banking That Listens

Perhaps the most Ghibli-esque transformation happening in consumer banking is the rise of genuine conversational interfaces. AI chatbot integrated with banks can allows customers to text questions like "How much did I spend on restaurants last month compared to my usual habits?" To their integrated banks and receive contextual responses that incorporate visual elements when appropriate. What makes this compelling isn't the technology itself, but how it transforms banking from a task into a relationship, one thing that banks have often struggled with. Like the quiet moments in a Ghibli film where characters simply exist together in comfortable silence, these new interfaces create space for financial reflection that feels natural rather than forced. Early data shows users of these conversational tools check their financial status 3.7 times more frequently than traditional app users. More importantly, they report 42% higher confidence in their financial decisions, suggesting these interfaces aren't just more pleasant, they're fundamentally more effective at promoting financial wellness.

The Challenge with Making AI Feel Less Like AI

While AI in finance has reached a competent phase, it is yet to reach its full potential. The challenge is to make sophisticated AI feel more approachable and human. The only way to mass adoption is to build the intelligence without artificiality. JP Morgan Chase’s research found that nearly 74% of customers prefer a hybrid experience. Users want AI’s convenience and personalization along with human guidance for complex decisions. The banks succeeding with AI are not eliminating the human connection, they are purely reimagining it. The future, of course, is going to be the human touch delivered with the efficiency of AI doing the hard work in the backdrop.

The Way Forward with Ambient Intelligence

The future of banking will not be about flashier interfaces or more complex algorithms. It will be about disappearing into the background while remaining fully present. This ‘ambient intelligence’ will operate like the atmospheric elements in a Ghibli film, creating a world that feels magical, appealing, and authentic. Imagine a financial assistant that understands when you are planning a vacation from your browsing habits, automatically suggests budget adjustments, alerts you to card fees abroad, and connects you with a travel insurance specialist, all without explicitly being asked. This kind of contextual awareness represents the next frontier. It will not just be about responding to commands but anticipating needs and facilitating experiences that feel less like ‘using technology or AI’ and more like being understood.

The AI in Finance Journey Has Just Begun

The most exciting developments in AI-powered banking are not yet visible on feature comparison charts. They are felt in subtle moments when technology anticipates a need before it is even articulated. When it will feel less like interfacing with a bank and more like having a financial ally who truly understands you. The Ghibli effect teaches us something profound about technology adoption: people don't fall in love with features; they fall in love with feelings. The AI-powered banking solutions gaining traction aren't winning because they're more advanced (though they often are), but because they make users feel understood, capable, and secure. This emotional intelligence, the ability to sense and respond to unspoken needs is what separates pleasant technological novelties from transformative financial relationships. For financial institutions, this means looking beyond efficiency metrics and shifting to something more elusive like the quality of user experience. The leaders in space will be those who master storytellers using technology not as the story itself but as the medium through which more human, more meaningful financial relations unfold.

Further Reading

1. AI and You: Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence from the EMEA Financial Services Industry (Deloitte)

2. Unleashing a New Era of Productivity in Investment Banking Through the Power of Generative AI (Deloitte Center for Financial Services)

3. Industry 4.0 in Finance: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Digital Financial Inclusion (International Journal of Financial Studies )

Until next time,

Srijan