First Internet Bancorp in Fishers, Ind., which went public in 2013, could also use the capital for acquisitions and other investments.

At American Banker’s Digital Banking conference in Austin, industry leaders wrestled with philosophical questions about artificial intelligence and the rapidly evolving expectations of customers.

Most big banks are launching robo-advisers to compete for a new breed of wealth management customer. The risk is that automated services will disappoint traditional customers.

Mary Kate Loftus spearheaded a $131 million digital initiative to improve the customer experience, deepen relationships and attract more of HSBC’s target consumer segments. She was one of our Digital Banker of the Year finalists for 2018.

Hurricane Maria left behind a shattered Puerto Rico. Camille Burckhart and her technology team at Banco Popular found that they were uniquely positioned to help people rebuild. She has been selected one of our Digital Banker of the Year finalists for 2018.

Talking with Shari Van Cleave, head of Wells Fargo Digital Labs; Citizens Financial makes a big move in mortgages in purchasing Franklin American; a rewards blockchain could give Amex access to a wealth of customer data; and more from this week's most-read stories.

With a lighter compliance burden, small banks could shift tech spending to customer-facing innovation.

The agency’s recent bulletin could help banks get back into the small-dollar lending business, keeping needy borrowers out of debt traps. But other regulatory limits remain in focus.

Readers react to acting Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Mick Mulvaney easing mortgage reporting requirements, opine on facial recognition systems, weigh in on Wells Fargo’s attempts to change its culture and more.

Whether they’re thwarting cyber thieves or building out new apps, bank chiefs say hefty tech investments are now a cost of doing business — but they have to convince shareholders.