The French BNP Paribas bank group plans to replace the roles of around 1,000 people with artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalisation over the next three years.
On Monday morning, the French group BNP Paribas provided an insight into its strategy for its Belgian banking operations for the period 2026–2028.
In this "deep dive", the company indicated that it aims to operate even more efficiently, partly by rolling out AI on a larger scale and sharing the technology with the parent company.
The group will recruit fewer people than will leave for its commercial activities in Belgium, as AI is set to make many new hires redundant. CEO Michael Anseeuw cited the example of the chatbot the bank launched last year for customer interactions.
"Customers can already do a lot in the app, but sometimes they also want to speak to a banker. We can handle an ever-increasing proportion of those interactions via a bot," he said.
For instance, there is a great deal of communication regarding bank cards. Last year, there were 8.6 million customer enquiries on this subject. "By 2028, we aim to handle 7 million interactions via the bot. That way, we will not have to replace everyone leaving the call centre," said Anseeuw.
AI investments
Another example is the legally required identification of customers. The bank believes that AI can also deliver significant cost savings in this area.
"Without AI, we would need an additional 290 people for this in the coming years," said Anseeuw. He estimates that within three years, artificial intelligence will be able to perform the work of around 1,000 people at the bank.
Last year, around 500 people left BNP Paribas Fortis, whilst only 330 were recruited. "In the coming years, too, AI investments will make it possible to replace only 75% to 80% of those leaving," he said.
Nevertheless, the bank will continue to invest in its employees, emphasised Anseeuw. "Through training in areas such as specialist expertise, we want to continue to stand out in the market, and we will also further strengthen diversity."
In addition to AI, "smart sourcing" is also expected to deliver efficiency gains in the coming years. This involves, among other things, the bank outsourcing tasks to external partners and other entities within the BNP Paribas group.
BNP Paribas Fortis bank in Brussels. Credit: Belga / Thierry Roge
Last year, BNP Paribas Fortis already reached an agreement with the trade unions regarding the transfer of 580 customer service staff to the consultancy firm Accenture.
The plans indicate that this offshoring will be stepped up somewhat. By the end of 2028, this will involve around a thousand people, Anseeuw explained. "We will always maintain an open dialogue with the social partners on this."
Additionally, the bank will also make greater use of technology at the group level. For instance, the entire data centre in Bastogne, in the Belgian province of Luxembourg, is currently being moved to the cloud of the French parent bank.
"This has no impact on customers. We will, however, gain a much more robust infrastructure and be able to develop solutions more quickly," Anseeuw said.
Attracting new customers
On the commercial front, the bank intends to focus further on its various segments. Through a partnership with Bpost, the bank can attract new customers via post offices, where simple banking transactions are possible.
Already, a third of new customers are coming in via these post offices. Additionally, BNP Paribas Fortis has its own network of advisory branches.
"We want to place the right customer in the right segment," said Anseeuw. "Customers can, for example, move into private banking."
The CEO expects that between 2026 and 2028, around €5 billion in assets could flow into private banking and wealth management. For assets of €250,000 or more, BNP Paribas Fortis offers clients a private banker.
For investors who prefer to make their own choices, the bank has announced the launch of a digital investment platform in the first half of 2027. Competitors Belfius (ReBel) and KBC (Bolero) have been offering similar services for some time.
