Inbenta CEO: Financial Services Firms Demand Real AI Results After Failed Pilots

The conversation around artificial intelligence in banking has matured significantly, according to Melissa Solis, CEO of AI platform provider Inbenta. Speaking on the Finovate Podcast, Solis described how financial institutions have moved beyond pilot programmes and exploratory deployments to demanding solutions that deliver measurable results.

The shift comes after many organisations experienced disappointing outcomes from early AI implementations. Vendors that promised transformative capabilities often failed to meet expectations, prompting banks to adopt a more rigorous approach to vendor selection and deployment.

This year at FinovateFall what I heard a lot of was 'what's real?' People had gone out and signed up for PoCs, signed agreements, and deployed solutions, but they were coming back with really hard questions because, in many situations, it did not live up to what people had told them.

Solis views the wave of failed projects as a necessary learning phase for the industry. Banks that once accepted vendor claims at face value are now conducting thorough due diligence before committing to AI partnerships.

So what I've started to hear people say is, 'Hey, it didn't work. We were told this and it wasn't real. So what do you do?' I feel this is a great place to be because, at first, people weren't asking the hard questions. They just assumed what everybody said was true.

The hard knocks from unsuccessful proof-of-concept trials have pushed financial institutions to be more demanding. They now seek concrete evidence of performance, transparency in how systems operate, and clear governance frameworks before moving forward with deployments.

Solis emphasised that successful AI implementation requires a two-way commitment. Banks must ask the right questions, but vendors also bear responsibility for delivering on their promises.

She highlighted Inbenta's partnership with Scious as an example of how rigorous vendor selection can lead to successful outcomes. The Scious founder spent years searching for an AI solution that met stringent requirements around governance, transparency, and performance before settling on Inbenta's platform.

The conversation underscores that high-risk, high-reward AI partnerships demand accountability from both sides — financial institutions must define clear success criteria, while vendors must provide verifiable proof that their technology can meet those standards.

Inbenta positions itself as a global AI orchestration platform that enables banks and financial institutions to deploy trusted, self-service AI solutions in days rather than months. The company's Encore platform claims to deliver 98%+ accuracy, near-zero hallucinations, full auditability, and more than 850 integrations to prevent vendor lock-in.

Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Allen, Texas, Inbenta serves financial services, e-commerce, and healthcare companies. The firm made its Finovate debut at FinovateFall 2026, where it presented its capabilities to an audience of banking and fintech professionals.

As CEO, Solis focuses on strategic growth, innovation, and empowering teams to deliver impactful solutions. She brings expertise in executive management and new business development to advance Inbenta's market position.