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BBVA Chair Urges EU to Boost Investment and Adopt AI to Strengthen Banking Competitiveness
On 19 June 2026, BBVA Chair Carlos Torres Vila addressed the joint annual conference of the Spanish Banking Association (AEB), the Spanish Federation of Savings Banks (CECA) and the Credit Cooperative Association (Unacc). He warned that Europe’s vast savings pool remains under‑utilised and that the continent must raise investment and simplify regulation to stay competitive.
Torres Vila argued that the European Union possesses talent, industrial capacity, high savings, leading firms and a robust financial system, yet it lacks the capital required to fund productive projects. He linked the need for investment to the technology race, the energy transition, economic security and shifting geopolitical realities, stating, "If we do not invest enough, we risk falling behind and losing our autonomy."
The Chair highlighted artificial intelligence (AI) as a key driver of competitiveness. While Europe may not dominate the development of large language models, it has a significant opportunity to adopt them at scale. "The advantage will belong to those who adopt this technology sooner," he said, stressing that AI adoption must be paired with investment to channel savings into productive initiatives.
During the panel, Torres Vila shared the stage with Gonzalo Gortázar, CEO of CaixaBank, and Héctor Grisi, CEO of Banco Santander. The session was moderated by Alejandra Kindelán, president of the AEB, and Antonio Romero, general manager of CECA.
He used BBVA’s experience in Germany and Italy to illustrate the hurdles of cross‑border banking in the EU. BBVA has built digital operations in both countries, serving more than 900 000 customers in Italy and over 100 000 in Germany, yet regulatory interpretation and national operational requirements still differ, creating friction that slows the rollout of services across member states.
Torres Vila argued that deeper financial integration would boost European competitiveness. "What is lacking is confidence in European management of risks and resources, and a shift from managing financial stability at the national level to managing it at the European level," he said.
On AI, he described BBVA’s four‑line strategy: the bank has deployed AI tools for more than 100 000 employees and has defined eight major workstreams covering the entire value chain—from customer service and sales to risk management, software development and operations. BBVA has also industrialised the creation, deployment and management of AI agents and is working with partners such as Google, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and OpenAI.
The Chair added that BBVA has created a new global area dedicated to driving AI transformation across the Group. He noted that the bank’s status as a significant institution supervised by the European Central Bank provides a strong foundation to lead a new phase in the financial industry.
These remarks arrive as European banks seek ways to improve efficiency and customer experience through digital tools. BBVA’s approach—combining large‑scale AI adoption with strategic partnerships and regulatory alignment—illustrates a path that other European banks may follow.
In summary, Torres Vila’s speech underscored three key points: Europe must increase investment to channel savings into productive projects; regulatory simplification is needed to enable cross‑border banking and AI deployment; and AI adoption at scale will be a decisive factor in European banking competitiveness.
The conference highlighted the shared concerns of Spain’s largest banks and the broader European banking community. While the discussion did not include specific policy proposals, it reinforced the view that investment, regulatory reform and AI integration are central to the future of European banking.
Torres Vila argued that the European Union possesses talent, industrial capacity, high savings, leading firms and a robust financial system, yet it lacks the capital required to fund productive projects. He linked the need for investment to the technology race, the energy transition, economic security and shifting geopolitical realities, stating, "If we do not invest enough, we risk falling behind and losing our autonomy."
The Chair highlighted artificial intelligence (AI) as a key driver of competitiveness. While Europe may not dominate the development of large language models, it has a significant opportunity to adopt them at scale. "The advantage will belong to those who adopt this technology sooner," he said, stressing that AI adoption must be paired with investment to channel savings into productive initiatives.
During the panel, Torres Vila shared the stage with Gonzalo Gortázar, CEO of CaixaBank, and Héctor Grisi, CEO of Banco Santander. The session was moderated by Alejandra Kindelán, president of the AEB, and Antonio Romero, general manager of CECA.
He used BBVA’s experience in Germany and Italy to illustrate the hurdles of cross‑border banking in the EU. BBVA has built digital operations in both countries, serving more than 900 000 customers in Italy and over 100 000 in Germany, yet regulatory interpretation and national operational requirements still differ, creating friction that slows the rollout of services across member states.
Torres Vila argued that deeper financial integration would boost European competitiveness. "What is lacking is confidence in European management of risks and resources, and a shift from managing financial stability at the national level to managing it at the European level," he said.
On AI, he described BBVA’s four‑line strategy: the bank has deployed AI tools for more than 100 000 employees and has defined eight major workstreams covering the entire value chain—from customer service and sales to risk management, software development and operations. BBVA has also industrialised the creation, deployment and management of AI agents and is working with partners such as Google, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and OpenAI.
The Chair added that BBVA has created a new global area dedicated to driving AI transformation across the Group. He noted that the bank’s status as a significant institution supervised by the European Central Bank provides a strong foundation to lead a new phase in the financial industry.
These remarks arrive as European banks seek ways to improve efficiency and customer experience through digital tools. BBVA’s approach—combining large‑scale AI adoption with strategic partnerships and regulatory alignment—illustrates a path that other European banks may follow.
In summary, Torres Vila’s speech underscored three key points: Europe must increase investment to channel savings into productive projects; regulatory simplification is needed to enable cross‑border banking and AI deployment; and AI adoption at scale will be a decisive factor in European banking competitiveness.
The conference highlighted the shared concerns of Spain’s largest banks and the broader European banking community. While the discussion did not include specific policy proposals, it reinforced the view that investment, regulatory reform and AI integration are central to the future of European banking.
