AI use hits 64% in IT, but infrastructure and governance constrain broader deployment; new tool helps institutions see where they stand

CARY, N.C., Sept. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As AI use proliferates in the SMB sector, small banks, credit unions and lenders have put banking on the AI leaderboard – ahead of similarly sized firms in insurance, government, health care and life sciences – according to a recent AI readiness study by SAS, with research and analysis by IDC. Even so, the findings suggest institution-wide AI remains elusive.

The study, AI for SMBs: Closing the Readiness‑Reality Gap, is based on a survey of 1,600 small and midsized business (SMB) leaders across 28 countries in five global regions. SMBs were defined as organizations with 100 to 999 employees in the U.S. and 100 to 499 employees in other markets.

Among five SMB industries examined, financial institutions show the strongest strategic alignment, most established governance practices and greatest integration of AI into day-to-day operations. Yet the study’s banking AI readiness findings* also expose significant growing pains:

AI use is concentrated in IT. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of small financial institutions use AI in IT. That’s compared with 47% in finance and risk, 44% in marketing, 42% in customer service and 39% in product development.Infrastructure is often a bottleneck. About 2 in 5 respondents (39%) say their infrastructure is not ready, or is too costly, for broader AI deployment.Governance concerns loom large. Security, privacy and compliance concerns are the top barrier to scaling AI, cited by 40% of small financial institutions.Fragmentation creates another drag. One-third (33%) cite the lack of a unified data, analytics and AI platform among their AI challenges.

The findings arrive as SAS heads to Sibos, Sept. 28 – Oct. 1 in Miami, where its experts will lead discussions on AI readiness, trust, agentic AI, payments and financial crime. Attendees can connect with SAS at Booth I073 throughout the conference.

“For smaller financial institutions, scaling AI does not mean recreating the technology architecture of a global bank,” said Chris Marshall, Vice President of Financial Services at IDC. “The smarter path is to focus internal resources where they create the most value and lean on technology and implementation partners to extend what the institution can accomplish on its own. The right ecosystem and the right collaborators can turn integration complexity into a manageable, even accelerated, path forward.”

Where small-bank AI goes next
Banking respondents’ top-cited near-term AI priorities show greater focus on practical capabilities than novelty:

Automating and streamlining core business processes (30%).Reducing costs through efficiency and automation (30%).Improving data quality and integration (28%).Increasing product and service innovation (26%).

Banking also leads the SMB industries studied in moving beyond isolated AI pilots. The most advanced institutions aren’t just adding more use cases but strengthening the foundations beneath.

“AI pilots often become islands of innovation,” said Alex Kwiatkowski, Director of Global Financial Services at SAS. “One team builds a high-impact fraud use case. Another launches a sharper risk model. A third automates a process. Each initiative delivers tangible benefits, but they don’t add up to an AI strategy.

“Real transformation requires organizations to bridge those islands – connecting siloed functions and decisioning capabilities through shared data, governance and infrastructure – so AI travels farther and faster across the organization.”

AI’s bigger payoff lies beyond IT, where it currently dominates. Expanding adoption across finance and risk, and into more customer-focused areas like marketing, customer service and product development, can compound isolated gains into more consequential, institution-wide returns – strengthening fraud and risk management, customer experience, product innovation and more.

On Oct. 16, SAS will host a webinar to further explore these issues. AI Readiness vs. Reality: Moving Beyond the Hype in Banking and Insurance will focus on practical, responsible strategies for turning AI ambition into business impact.

How AI-ready is your institution?
Small and midsized banks and credit unions can benchmark their own AI maturity with SAS’ AI Readiness Calculator. The 11-question assessment, based on the SAS and IDC AI Readiness Index, evaluates organizations across planning, building, enabling and executing.

Each participant receives a personalized report highlighting strengths, readiness gaps and recommended next steps based on the institution’s maturity stage, priorities and industry.

For more on applying AI across risk, fraud and customer experience, explore SAS’ AI in Banking resources.

*Source: IDC Resource Map Document, sponsored by SAS, SMB AI Readiness, Doc. #EUR154930226 [May 2026].

About SAS
SAS is a global leader in data and AI, helping organizations make confident decisions with AI they can trust. For decades, SAS has set the standard for delivering software that drives meaningful impact, incorporating deep industry expertise, transparency and governance. SAS gives you THE POWER TO KNOW®.

SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. ® indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright © 2026 SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved.

Editorial Contact:
Danielle Bates
danielle.bates@sas.com
919-531-1959
sas.com/news

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SOURCE SAS

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Sept. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Aleut Federal (Aleut) has established a purpose-built audiovisual and video teleconferencing (AV/VTC) demonstration environment in Colorado Springs, giving government and industry stakeholders the opportunity to experience next-generation collaboration, room control, and video distribution technologies in a simulated secure environment.

The new space recreates an operationally representative AV/VTC environment where customers can explore how integrated technologies support secure, flexible, and mission-focused collaboration.

At the center of the installation is a Q-SYS VisionSuite-enabled architecture that brings advanced automation and intelligent video direction to the meeting experience. VisionSuite combines 17 points of biometric data with precise sound-positioning data from beamforming microphones to identify and frame individual speakers, automatically recall scenes, and dynamically control cameras as conversations unfold.

The result is a natural, professionally produced experience for remote participants, allowing them to follow interactions as though they were in the room without requiring manual camera operation or scene management.

“A major objective for us was to create something that goes beyond a showroom demonstration,” said Rob Hogue, Program Manager at Aleut. “We wanted customers and industry partners to experience these technologies working together as an integrated system, whether they’re in the room or joining remotely, and see firsthand how they can be applied to real-world requirements.”

Located in Colorado Springs, the facility expands regional access to next-generation AV/VTC capabilities, providing organizations and technical teams with a dedicated space for demonstrations, technical evaluations, and industry collaboration.

Aleut’s AV/VTC Systems Integration Group provides end-to-end capabilities spanning systems engineering, project management, installation, commissioning, logistics, and long-term user support. The Colorado Springs environment brings those disciplines together in a practical setting for testing, refining, and demonstrating these capabilities.

“Technology is evolving quickly, but introducing new capabilities into mission environments requires more than selecting the latest tools,” said Michael Bates, Chief Information Officer at Aleut. “This space gives our teams a platform to evaluate emerging technologies, refine how they work together, and turn that knowledge into integrated solutions for our customers.”

ABOUT ALEUT FEDERAL
Aleut Federal brings technology, innovation, and mission expertise together to solve complex challenges across the federal landscape. Our teams work at the intersection of emerging technology and real-world mission needs, delivering solutions across cybersecurity, data and AI, enterprise IT, digital modernization, and integrated technologies.

A subsidiary of The Aleut Corporation, one of 12 Alaska Native regional corporations established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, Aleut Federal and its subsidiaries’ success supports more than 5,000 Alaska Native shareholders and descendants and helps create lasting economic opportunity for Unangax̂ communities.

Through its SBA-certified 8(a) subsidiaries, Aleut Federal serves government customers across a range of mission areas. Learn more at aleutfederal.com/technology

Berlyn Martin
Aleut Federal, LLC
Phone: 571-560-0828

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Kudlow to Serve as Host Starting September 27th through November 8th

NEW YORK, Sept. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — FOX Business Network’s (FBN) Larry Kudlow will host Sunday Morning Futures (10-11 AM/ET) starting this Sunday, September 27th through the weekend after the midterm elections (Sunday, November 8). A new host will be named at a later date.

Since joining FBN in 2021, Kudlow’s eponymous market-close program Kudlow (4PM/ET) has consistently ranked as the most-watched show in business television. Throughout his tenure with the network, he has interviewed key politicians, business leaders and administration officials including President Donald Trump, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Elon Musk, House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson, among others. He has also provided economic and political commentary across FOX News Media platforms.

Prior to joining FBN, Kudlow served as the Director of the National Economic Council and Assistant to the President for Economic Policy under President Trump from 2018 to 2021. He previously served as a senior contributor for CNBC where he hosted a number of programs, including his signature post-market analysis show The Kudlow Report. A staple of CNBC since its founding, he provided economic analysis across the network’s leading business programs, including regular appearances on Squawk Box. From 1981 to 1985, he was an associate director for economics and planning at the Office of Management and Budget in the Reagan administration. Additionally, Kudlow served as chief economist and senior managing director of then-global investment bank, securities trading and brokerage firm Bear Stearns.

FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service and has been the number one network in basic cable for the last 10 years and the most-watched television news channel for more than 24 consecutive years, currently attracting nearly 60% of the cable news viewing audience according to Nielsen Media Research. Notably, Nielsen/MRI Fusion has consistently shown FNC to be the network of choice for more Democrat and Independent viewers, with the most politically diverse audience in cable news. A 2026 New York Times/Siena poll of registered voters found that FNC was the leading single source of news in the country, outranking all national television, cable and print/online organizations, while a 2024 Pew Research Center study found that more Americans named FNC as their main source for political news than any other network. FNC is available in more than 60 million homes including streaming on FOX One and dominates the cable news landscape, routinely notching the top 10 programs in the genre. 

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FOX News Media Contact:

Connor Smith: 212-301-3879 or Connor.Smith@FOX.com 

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