Sovereign and Future-Proof: How Finanz Informatik Prepared Its Platform for the AI Era

Serving more than 300 savings banks, several state banks, and millions of customers, Finanz Informatik delivers everything that matters in IT, from core banking systems to mobile apps. But what happens when systems stop running smoothly, updates become increasingly complex, and licensing costs become an increasingly heavy burden? 

Finanz Informatik’s production platform – originally built on IBM technology – was not only costly but also maintenance-heavy and barely able to keep up with rising demands for AI, data processing, and fast response times. 

By the end of 2021, it was clear: a few patches wouldn’t do. The solution required a carefully designed, scalable infrastructure – one that could unify data, models, and applications securely and efficiently for over 300 savings banks and millions of customers. 

The overhaul was overdue and required the right expertise. In early 2022, Finanz Informatik brought X-INTEGRATE and TIMETOACT Software & Consulting on board. Together, we laid out a clear plan: OpenShift as the foundation for flexible container environments, complemented by Apache Spark for data preparation, Nvidia Superpods for GPU power, and standardized container templates. The goal: a platform that scales cleanly while meeting the banking industry’s stringent security and compliance standards. 

So we created an architecture that covers everything from data integration to AI model deployment. Most importantly, the platform was not delivered as a “black box” but built in close collaboration with Finanz Informatik’s own teams. What once was a fragile patchwork has now become a stable, scalable, and secure infrastructure, one that meets current demands and lays the foundation for the next stage of digital transformation. 

Since the new infrastructure went live, it has been unfolding its potential step by step – creating value for the savings banks and their customers, and setting new standards as a driver of innovation: 

• The production platform runs reliably – even under heavy loads. 

• More than 6,000 users already work in the new environment; by the end of 2025, that number will exceed 220,000. 

• Developers and data scientists benefit from ready-made templates that significantly accelerate development and model training. 

• Auditability and compliance are fully guaranteed – even under the strict requirements of the European AI Act and BaFin. 

And this is just the beginning. The platform is the foundation for use cases such as fraud detection, chatbots in the ‘Sparkassen App’, smart customer advisory, and new products developed in partnership with insurers and other providers. 

The journey doesn’t stop here.  Finanz Informatik’s next leap is Agentic AI: AI that doesn’t just solve isolated tasks but autonomously orchestrates entire workflows. The vision: moving away from fragmented automation toward an intelligent platform that understands, prioritizes, and steers processes – always in line with strict regulatory requirements. 

It’s an ambitious goal, but entirely within reach. The groundwork has already been laid: a platform that not only runs stably but also proves every day how technology creates real value – from accelerated processes to new products. On this foundation, the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe is gradually turning its vision of smarter, more efficient, and customer-focused financial services into reality. 

Finanz Informatik shows how banking IT can be modernized boldly, collaboratively, and focussed on the future. Together with X-INTEGRATE and TIMETOACT, a volatile production environment has been transformed into a powerful platform – one that delivers measurable value today and forms the basis for a new era of AI-driven financial services tomorrow.