Mashreq has partnered with global technology company IBM to pilot an agentic artificial intelligence platform aimed at improving software engineering efficiency and accelerating digital banking innovation.
The Dubai Financial Market-listed bank is testing IBM Bob, an AI-powered software engineering platform designed to support developers with complex integration tasks, troubleshooting and software delivery.
According to IBM’s announcement on October 12, 2026, the pilot has demonstrated the potential to reduce integration design and troubleshooting time by up to 60–70%.
The initiative focuses on improving Mashreq’s technology infrastructure, which connects its digital banking channels, payment systems, enterprise applications and international operations.
Mashreq’s existing integration platform supports critical banking services, including digital payments, cross-border transactions and connections with external partners.
As part of its technology development, the bank is also using IBM Context Forge to explore AI-agent orchestration, helping establish a foundation for more intelligent and automated software engineering operations.
A secure gateway manages approximately 4,000 AI-agent requests per month across Mashreq’s digital banking, payments and enterprise systems.
The collaboration also involves Gulf Business Machines (GBM), bringing together IBM’s global technology capabilities and regional expertise to support the bank’s digital transformation.
Mashreq is additionally exploring the possibility of deploying IBM Bob on its own infrastructure for mission-critical applications, potentially addressing data residency and regulatory requirements through locally hosted AI models.
The pilot represents another step in Mashreq’s efforts to integrate artificial intelligence into its technology operations, with a focus on improving developer productivity, operational efficiency and the speed of digital service development.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment, financial, or legal advice.
