BMO's AI Chief Kristin Milchanowski Has One Word for Anyone Afraid of Being Left Behind by AI.
Our conversation at Summerfest TechAI 2026 highlights her confidence and conviction as she reveals how to win with AI.
This special edition interview was sponsored by Cream City Cyber, Milwaukee’s global cybersecurity consultancy helping companies of all sizes navigate digital risk. From AI governance to cybersecurity, they’ve got you covered. Learn more at creamcitycyber.com.
Kristin Milchanowski’s bio:
Chief AI and Quantum Officer at BMO Financial Group, leading BMO’s AI, data, and analytics strategy.
Author of Return on Intelligence, a 43-principle playbook for scaling AI responsibly so small businesses aren’t left behind.
Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Interview summary:
Kristin explains what AI actually looks like inside a bank, whether you see and feel it or not.
She reveals the exact moment an employee’s job quietly changes when you hand them an AI “widget” and the bet BMO made on all employees.
She declares the one trait that lets anyone keep up with AI. Hint: no tech degree required.
What’s going on in the professional tech world today?
With the full press onset of AI, there’s a lot of concern and uncertainty mixed with excitement and potential among those of us who operate in and around tech today. Hell, even if you don’t operate directly on the inside, I have a feeling you’re feeling it, too.
I mean on one hand, we’re all a little unsure of how AI is going to impact what we do professionally in the midst of already feeling the impact on how we do.
And for those of us closer to the front edge of this stuff, we’re also excited about the future and how it will create new opportunities around jobs, company creation, and more.
In an environment like this, where can we look for guidance on how to focus our energy and attention and effort?
Kristin Milchanowski is a breath of fresh air in corporate tech leadership.
When she and I sat down I immediately knew the opportunity I had in front of me: to have a real conversation on how everyone is feeling about AI in the workplace. Even more, in a bank.
And we got into it.
First, a little on Kristin, because it matters.
She’s the Chief AI and Quantum Officer at BMO Financial Group. She’s spent 20-plus years in this world and she just wrote a book called Return on Intelligence, which is essentially a playbook for scaling AI responsibly so small businesses don’t get left behind. She’s also an Oxford AI fellow with a PhD. Oh, and a licensed race car driver, but that’s a story for another day.
The point is: when someone with those credentials talks about AI, you’d expect it to go over your head. Mine included. And maybe parts of her panel earlier that morning did when she and moderator Tim Dickson (CDIO, Regal Rexnord) got into AI governance and some of the deeper technical elements.
But then she’d say something so human that the everything came into focus.
That’s the thing about Kristin. She doesn’t talk down to you, and she doesn’t dress it up to sound smarter than it needs to. She meets you where you are. And in this moment, when everyone’s a little unsure, it’s exactly what you want from someone who truly knows what they’re talking about.
What Kristin wants you to know to ease your uncertainty.
Kristin and I covered a lot in a short time: what AI really looks like inside a bank, the surprising moment your job changes, and the one trait Kristin swears matters more than any tech degree.
I could try to summarize it all here, but honestly, you should just hear it from her.
Hit play on the full conversation below (or listen on Spotify). It’s the kind of conversation that leaves you less anxious and more curious about what’s coming.