WSI Digital, Forward Bank win Global People's Choice Award for AI partnership

WSI Digital and Forward Bank were recognized at WSI's 2026 Global Convention for a two-year AI adoption partnership that has helped a Wisconsin community bank move from policy groundwork to measurable time savings. The collaboration is being held up as a practical model for how regulated banks can use AI without losing control of compliance.

Why it matters: - The award highlights a practical path for community banks that want to adopt AI without treating it as a disruptive overhaul. - Forward Bank's results suggest AI can free up staff time in a regulated environment when governance and training come first. - WSI Digital is positioning its CommunityBanking.ai practice around AI as a coworker or thought partner, not just a software purchase.

What happened: - WSI Digital and Forward Bank received the Global People's Choice Award at WSI's 2026 Global Convention for their two-year AI partnership. - Forward Bank is a community bank based in Marshfield, Wisconsin. - WSI Digital serves community banks nationwide. - The collaboration started after Forward Bank leadership heard Eric Cook speak at a Wisconsin bankers' event. - About a year later, Forward Bank brought in Cook to help identify where to begin with AI adoption. - The partnership expanded to on-site staff training, recurring internal training sessions and joint appearances at industry events. - Those appearances included the Graduate School of Banking, Madison and the Financial Brand Forum in Las Vegas.

The details: - Early work focused on governance and policy so Forward Bank could test and roll out AI tools while staying aligned with compliance requirements. - Forward Bank recorded 4,677 Copilot actions in one reporting period. - Those actions saved an estimated 276 hours of staff time. - Eric Cook said WSI Digital acts as an extension of Forward Bank's internal AI work and helps employees test ideas and figure out how they could work. - Sheri Dick, Chief Operating Officer of Forward Bank, said the partnership has been a true thought partnership and helped the bank focus on what is practical inside a highly regulated environment. - Cook spent 15 years in community banking before moving to the agency side. - Cook built WSI Digital's AI practice, CommunityBanking.ai, around the idea that AI adoption works best when framed as a coworker or thought partner. - WSI Digital says it helps community banks build trust and visibility with both customers searching Google and AI systems answering questions on their behalf. - WSI Digital also provides custom bank websites, SEO and digital advertising through the global WSI network. - Forward Bank offers personal, business, agricultural, insurance and investment services. - Forward Bank describes itself as customer-owned and focused on relationships, local decision-making and long-term investment in the communities it serves. - WSI Digital's website is More information. - Forward Bank's website is More information.

Between the lines: - The award signals that AI adoption in banking is increasingly being judged by execution, not just experimentation. - The partnership's emphasis on policy, training and internal ownership suggests banks may get more value from disciplined implementation than from chasing the newest tools. - The reported time savings provide a concrete benchmark other community banks can compare against.

What's next: - Forward Bank appears likely to keep expanding internal AI use as more employees take on AI responsibilities. - WSI Digital is likely to continue using the Forward Bank partnership as a proof point for its community banking AI strategy. - The broader banking audience will likely watch whether the model scales across other community banks facing similar compliance constraints.