Itaú puts a banking question before the app menu

How much went on transport last month? Itaú used that question to introduce ia.i, its conversational banking service. A customer can begin with a financial need, then be directed to the part of the bank’s Superapp that can help. The bank’s July announcement described text and voice working alongside familiar clicks.[1]

Itaú launched ia.i on 27 July 2026, initially for 300,000 users, with access for all individual Superapp users targeted by the end of the year. OpenAI’s 16 October case study describes the same first-phase population and the year-end goal; it gives no later confirmed rollout total.[1][2]

From a question to a familiar action

The bank’s description keeps conversation and conventional navigation in the same journey. ia.i can point a customer towards the relevant feature for a payment or another operation. A user can also ask to speak with a person. The language interface supplies a route through the app.[1]

This changes what customers need to know at the start. A menu asks them to recognise a feature’s name. A conversation can begin with their problem, then lead to the app screen where an action becomes possible.[2]

Behind the visible interface, the October case study describes a selection of models serving different requirements: some questions need fast, economical responses; others need more reasoning and supporting context. Itaú’s IARA platform gives the bank’s teams controlled access to those models under its internal policies. OpenAI is one of the providers. The single interface therefore draws on several technical components, with rules governing their use.[2]

What the customer brings to the conversation

The bank’s 15 October guide makes another part of the design visible: the customer contributes information that transaction records alone cannot supply. It recommends naming a goal, timeframe, relevant amounts and alternatives. Its examples distinguish a broad wish to save money from a question tied to a particular purpose and date.[3]

The guide also says people need not arrive with a finished question. A conversation can help work out when money will be needed, what should stay available and which alternatives deserve comparison. Organising those details can remain useful if the customer later speaks to a bank specialist.[3]

A transaction history explains what has happened. A person’s plans help explain what they want to happen next. Connecting the two gives the conversation a purpose before a product or service is selected.[3]

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