This is an opinion piece from the on the other hand column of Portfolio; the views are those of the author and may not reflect the editorial stance of Portfolio. Contributions can be sent to velemeny@portfolio.hu. The cover image is illustrative; source: Getty Images.
The evolution of timekeeping and the acceleration of technology have reshaped how organisations make decisions. Historically, people organised their days around the sun; mechanical clocks appeared in the fifteenth century, and later pocket and wristwatches moved the concept of time from a communal to a personal sphere. That shift introduced new concepts — deadlines, time pressure, delay — and changed expectations about acceptable reaction times.
At the same time, networks and IT systems, especially in the financial sector, have dramatically sped up many processes. Over recent decades, banking back‑office computing power has increased by orders of magnitude, processing times have shortened, and austere branches have been replaced by polished mobile apps.
Not every process should be accelerated without consequences
A system’s ability to react in real time raises the question: if technology can signal instantly, must humans always respond instantly? Some mechanisms earn their stability through time: delay is not necessarily a flaw but a built‑in safety margin. Market data can change in seconds, while in‑depth analyses, statistics and institutional decisions often rely on monthly or quarterly cycles. These multiple time horizons are part of stable operation.
Artificial intelligence can produce continuous, even real‑time signals, which is often valuable. Problems arise when those signals are integrated into daily operations while decision frameworks continue to follow old temporal logic. Two typical failures occur:
- An organisation ignores AI signals because they do not fit existing decision rhythms.
- Or it assigns them excessive weight and triggers rapid reactions that are disproportionate to the maturity of the signals.
Both outcomes undermine the benefits of AI adoption and lead to disappointment.
A strategic approach — not only a technology issue
The answer is not universal acceleration, but a strategic integration of AI into organisational processes. This is more than a technical task: organisations must develop their structures and decision capabilities. It is not enough to label a few teams or roles as “AI”; the organisation must be able to decide when and for what purpose to use AI‑generated information, and how to position decisions on the time axis.
Concretely, organisations need to decide:
- which decision points should align with AI’s real‑time tempo,
- which decisions require longer, human deliberation,
- how to assess the maturity and timeliness of AI signals.
Judging the credibility and currency of information remains a human task
Fast networks and abundant data mean we can ask a short question and receive an answer within seconds. The real challenge is assessing whether the answer is accurate and up to date: yesterday’s price may already be obsolete, a regulation from last year may no longer be in force, and a technically sound older analysis can be misleading in a new economic context. Evaluating these issues remains primarily a human responsibility.
The next era will be shaped by human judgement as much as by technology
AI technology will likely keep accelerating, but the next meaningful shift may not be purely technological. It will be defined by how deliberately people appear in processes to regulate speed. Future successful organisations will not necessarily be those that match AI’s speed at every point, but those that can decide when to accelerate and when to preserve a slower, human decision rhythm.
The history of timekeeping is ultimately human history: clocks did not change the world on their own; people did by making time part of their lives. The same will likely be true for artificial intelligence. The question is whether we can find the rhythm in which AI’s speed serves considered human judgement rather than replacing it.
Event and notes
Portfolio reports that the Banking Technology 2026 event, “Agentic AI, fintech competition and digital banking — Technological and business deep dive with senior banking executives,” will take place on November 10; registration and details are available via Portfolio. Opinion submissions can be sent to velemeny@portfolio.hu.
Tags: technology, artificial intelligence, technological progress, speed, clock, financial sector, decision, AI, decision‑making, human
