Commonwealth Bank tests AI companion in banking app
Wed, 27th May 2026 (Today)
Commonwealth Bank has begun testing an AI-based tool called CommBank Companion in its banking app, with the trial covering employees and a group of business banking customers.
The feature is designed to let retail and business customers ask questions in everyday language about spending, savings, home buying and cash flow, with responses based on live customer data held in the app.
A consumer test is planned next, ahead of a wider release. The bank will assess the trial against a range of criteria before any broader rollout.
CommBank Companion sits inside the CommBank app and is intended to bring together information customers would usually view across different parts of their banking relationship. Users will be able to ask questions, review answers and take actions in one place.
For personal banking customers, the tool is positioned around routine money management tasks such as building a holiday budget, checking subscriptions and assessing whether current spending patterns align with a home purchase goal. It can also surface information on borrowing power, home valuations, repayment schedules, deposit requirements, loan comparisons and interest rates.
Business users are being offered a narrower initial set of functions centred on cash flow. The tool can answer questions about current cash flow, projected outgoings over the next month and comparisons between lending products such as an overdraft and a business loan.
Banking shift
The launch comes as banks continue testing how generative AI can be used in customer-facing channels while limiting legal, conduct and fraud risks. Commonwealth Bank says the system is designed to support customer decisions rather than make them, and does not provide financial advice or credit assistance on regulated products.
Angus Sullivan, Group Executive Retail Banking Services, said the product responds to customer demand for more control and clarity in managing money.
"Australians are telling us they want more control, clarity and confidence in managing their money. With over 9 million customers using the CommBank app every day, we are continuing to innovate and improve their experience," Sullivan said.
"CommBank Companion is our response - bringing together live spending and saving data into a single experience, so customers can be better informed, manage their money and act with confidence," said Sullivan.
"It reflects a broader shift in banking - from something customers navigate to something that can actively surface relevant information to them."
"In the coming weeks we will expand the employee and business banking test to include some personal banking customers ahead of a broader rollout."
"Trust is critical in banking. That's why we're taking a deliberate and staged approach to CommBank Companion, with strong governance, testing and customer safeguards embedded from day one," added Sullivan.
More than 9 million Australians use the CommBank app, logging in an average of 1.4 times a day. App usage is up 6.5 per cent year on year.
Business focus
For business banking, the lender is framing the tool as a way to turn account and transaction data into clearer summaries for owners making frequent operating decisions.
Mike Vacy-Lyle, Group Executive, Business Banking, said many business customers already have access to data but find it difficult to use in day-to-day decision-making.
"Running a business means making dozens of decisions every day while managing staff, suppliers, customers and cash flow," Vacy-Lyle said.
"CommBank Companion is designed to bring clarity to some of that complexity by summarising what's happening in the finances of the business in plain language."
"As the experience is refined, it will highlight when attention may be needed to help business owners sense-check financial decisions before they act."
"We're designing it to be a trusted service provider for businesses, extending our relationship banking model and giving more customers access to timely information and support whenever they need it," added Vacy-Lyle.
Over time, the bank wants the business version to model cash flow scenarios tied to hiring, investment and expansion decisions. It also plans for the tool to flag cost pressures such as unusually high supplier or energy bills, compare a business with similar firms and handle servicing tasks such as reordering statements or troubleshooting a merchant terminal, with human support available if needed.
Controls and limits
Commonwealth Bank said the tool was designed and built by its own engineering and data science teams and operates within the bank's existing app environment. That environment is backed by about AUD $1 billion in security investment and includes safeguards aimed at scams and fraud.
The product has also been developed with human oversight, governance processes and testing intended to support accuracy, consistency and customer safety. The system has controls over what it can and cannot do, and customers remain responsible for their decisions and actions.
That emphasis reflects the sensitivity of using AI in banking, where errors can affect credit decisions, financial outcomes and consumer trust. Companion is part of the bank's broader AI strategy, with privacy protections, risk management and ongoing monitoring built into its development.
During the current testing phase, the tool's role remains limited to providing information and support inside the app rather than replacing customer judgement or professional advice where required.