Starling Bank launched an AI tool which helps customers better understand their spending habits. The first-of-its-kind feature, called ‘Spending Intelligence’, allows customers to ask questions about their money. This is the first time a bank has given customers the opportunity to use AI and natural language in-app to directly interact with their spending data. It’s the first phase of Starling’s wider plans to implement AI across customer touch points. “Customers can use AI to feed their natural curiosity about their finances so that they can make informed decisions about their budgeting, and better utilise Starling’s suite of money management tools, ” said Harriet Rees, CIO of Starling Bank. “By leveraging the power of Gemini and the secure, scalable infrastructure of Google Cloud, Starling is creating tangible value for its customers and empowering them with greater financial understanding. This is a brilliant example of how AI can be applied responsibly and effectively in the financial services sector,” said Graham Dury, Director, FSI, Google Cloud in the UK and Ireland. Transactions are listed by retailer and automatically sorted into over 50 customizable categories such as bills, transport, and groceries, making it easy to track spending patterns over time. For example, you can see how much you’ve spent at a specific retailer or on a category like dining out. A graph and detailed analytics show spending habits, breaking down individual payments within each category. This addresses a common limitation in banking apps where payments are visible but not easily analyzed.