The PNC Financial Services Group has placed GPUs in its data centers as it expands internal AI computing, while data-center rebuilding raises depreciation and management projects 40 points of AI-driven operating leverage over 2025-30.
During the Oct. 15 earnings call, Chairman and CEO William S. Demchak said PNC wants infrastructure to handle AI at scale “without compute costs coming from third parties.” The comment concerned infrastructure and computing costs. PNC still accesses frontier models through hyperscalers.
At a Sept. 14 conference, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Robert Q. Reilly said PNC runs open-weight models in its data centers and relies on hyperscalers for frontier models. The arrangement combines bank-operated computing with access to externally hosted models.
PNC management has identified 171 opportunities associated with $1.4 billion in addressable spend. That figure refers to potential spending connected to the opportunities, not savings already realized.
Management projects that AI will contribute 40 points to operating leverage over 2025-30. Separately, Demchak said automation in retail and care-center operations added 30 points over 2022-25. That earlier result is distinct from the projected AI contribution.
Demchak said the current work builds on groundwork laid in earlier years. PNC is using AI to rethink internal processes as part of its broader automation effort.
