The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) is looking to transform and upgrade its software development processes, with extensive testing, automation and AI tools taking centre stage.
The initiative, driven by CBA’s newly established AI-powered engineering team, was launched in July of last year and is now recruiting a small army of engineers to build expertise.
The team is tasked with embedding AI tools throughout the entire software delivery lifecycle, from planning and coding to testing and maintenance.
This focus on testing is critical as the bank seeks to incorporate the latest AI technologies to enhance the development process.
Sydney-based Brendan Hopper, CBA’s Chief Information Officer for Technology, outlined the strategy, noting that “the team is dedicated to unlocking engineering capability and creativity using emerging AI-assisted tools and features across the entire software delivery lifecycle.”
He emphasised that the team’s efforts will focus on “rapidly testing and evaluating cutting-edge AI tools, enabling engineers to streamline workflows and unlock new opportunities to innovate and build better, safer solutions.”
Testing, for CBA, is not just about assessing the tools but about unlocking engineering capabilities to deliver better, safer, and more personalized customer experiences, Hopper said.
He pointed out that the AI division’s role in testing will ensure CBA’s 10,000 engineers and tech specialists remain at the forefront of AI integration.
“Every quarter, the team will conduct real-world testing of new technology capabilities and features.”
– Brendan Hopper
The testing phase is seen as pivotal to driving the bank’s ongoing AI ambitions. “At CBA, rapid experimentation to accelerate technology adoption is a priority,” Hopper explained.
“For example, every quarter, the team will conduct real-world testing of new technology capabilities and features,” he continued, adding that this strategy enables the bank to assess the potential of AI tools quickly, leading to faster delivery and more effective innovation.
Martha McKeen, who leads the AI-powered engineering division, shared that the bank is looking to build a “dedicated squad of engineers to rapidly explore and test new and emerging AI-assisted engineering tools and capabilities.”
McKeen, a CBA veteran, returned to the bank in November 2023 to assume her current role, following her previous departure in 2023 as the executive manager of CIO for technology delivery.
The bank’s AI testing efforts already have a proven track record, with generative AI tools already incorporated into customer-facing features.
Since May 2023, the bank has experimented with over 50 generative AI use cases. Notable projects include the IT support chatbot, ChatIT, and AI-driven customer features.
CBA’s bold approach to AI testing is poised to not only benefit its software development teams but also transform the services it delivers to customers, ensuring a continued competitive edge in the ever-evolving financial services industry, McKeen concluded.
THIS MONTH
QA Financial is delighted to announce that Tal Barmeir will join us as a speaker at the QA Financial Forum Toronto 2025 Places are limited – register today.
Why not become a QA Financial subscriber?
It’s entirely FREE
* Receive our weekly newsletter every Wednesday * Get priority invitations to our Forum events *
WATCH NOW
READ MORE
- Taking place TODAY: the QA Financial Forum Chicago 2025
- HDFC Bank turns to Katalon and QualityKiosk for QA upgrade
- Perforce’s Clinton Sprauve on AI testing for charts and graphics
- Functional and regression testing crucial for banks, says insider
- Shastic teams up with MeridianLink to target banks with AI automation
