Bank of America Adds Gen AI to EricaAssist, Cuts Call Times by Nearly a Minute

Bank of America announced on July 21, 2026 that it has enhanced EricaAssist, its human-assisted AI agent for customer service representatives, with generative AI capabilities that surface contextual guidance during live client calls in under three seconds. 

The enhancement is in active use across more than 18,000 representatives and has reduced average call times by nearly one minute per interaction, according to the press release.

At the scale of a bank that serves nearly 70 million clients across approximately 3,500 retail financial centers, a reduction of that size in average handling time represents a significant operational outcome, even if the bank did not specify the total number of interactions affected.

"EricaAssist reflects our high tech, high touch approach," said Ashley Ross, Head of Consumer Client Experience and Business Transformation at Bank of America. "By combining human judgment with real time AI guidance, we're helping employees navigate complex topics more easily and serve clients more effectively in the moments that matter most."

EricaAssist runs alongside customer service representatives during live calls. It summarizes the client's request, retrieves relevant information across the bank's systems, and recommends next steps based on the employee's role and the client's relationship with the bank. 

Bank of America said the guidance appears in under three seconds without interrupting the conversation.

"This technology helps our teammates deliver relevant insights in seconds, while operating with strong governance, transparency, and accountability," said Tom Ellis, Chief Information Officer and Head of Consumer Technology at Bank of America.

Bank of America said employees remain responsible for customer interactions, with the AI operating under the bank's governance and oversight framework.

Bank of America plans to expand EricaAssist to additional servicing scenarios and business lines before the end of 2026, extending a deployment that currently covers customer service representatives to a broader operational footprint, according to the press release. 

The upgrade comes weeks after Bank of America said it would continue hiring about 4,000 college graduates each year despite concerns that AI could eliminate jobs on Wall Street, underscoring the bank's stated strategy of using AI to support employees rather than replace them.

The bank spends $14 billion annually on technology, with more than $4 billion directed toward new initiatives including AI.