Seeking a successful path to core modernization

Modern banking is a far cry from the analog processes of yesteryear. Today's smartphone-wielding customers demand hyper-personalized transactions woven seamlessly into everyday life, one-to-one personal service with their data at agents' fingertips, and instantaneous financial insights--and some are even pressing for features like blockchain integration and support for digital currencies. But the ability to serve these customers is not assured: Gartner predicts that by 2025 more than 85% of organizations will move forward with cloud principles, but will not yet be able to fully use cloud-native architectures and technologies. These tools will be key to banks' ability to move to digital ecosystem platforms and develop new services, partner with other players, work effectively with colleagues, and meet customer expectations. Financial institutions are under pressure to future-proof and accommodate emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and cloud computing--and they are also facing significant infrastructural strains.