# First Financial Bankshares: AI strategy

Source: https://www.bankingnewsai.com/banks/first-financial-bankshares
Last updated: Oct 5, 2026

*A Texas-only community bank with its own technology subsidiary that has not disclosed an AI programme; its 10-K mentions AI only as an adoption risk.*

## How is First Financial Bank Texas using AI?

First Financial Bankshares, the Abilene, Texas parent of First Financial Bank (about $15.2 billion in lead-bank assets at June 30, 2026, and 81 Texas locations), has not disclosed an AI programme. Its 2025 10-K, filed on February 25, 2026, mentions artificial intelligence once, as a risk: the bank may experience operational challenges in adopting, or failing to adopt, new technology such as AI, including unintended consequences, failing to use it effectively and not fully realising the anticipated benefits. The group runs technology through its own subsidiary, First Technology Services, Inc., but has not described AI work there. Its 2026 news has been a leadership change, with 22-year veteran David Bailey becoming President and CEO on February 1, 2026 and F. Scott Dueser staying as Executive Chairman until the 2028 annual meeting, record 2025 earnings of $253.6 million, and branch expansion into the Austin area. No AI tool, vendor, use case, budget or executive has been named. It is a different company from First Financial Bancorp of Cincinnati.

*Thin public record: No AI programme, tool, vendor or AI leader on the public record; AI appears only in a generic 10-K risk factor, and 2026 disclosures cover the CEO transition, results and branch openings.*

## At a glance

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Lead bank | First Financial Bank |
| Ticker | FFIN |
| Headquarters | Abilene, TX |
| Consolidated assets | $15,234 million (Jun 30, 2026) |
| Federal Reserve rank | 111 |
| Charter | Texas state member bank (Federal Reserve); the group also runs First Technology Services, Inc., a technology operating company |

## Key points

- No disclosed AI programme: no named AI tool, vendor, use case, spend or AI leader as of October 2026.
- 10-K (February 2026): the only AI passage is a risk factor about adopting, or failing to adopt, technology such as AI.
- In-house technology: the group operates First Technology Services, Inc., described as a technology operating company.
- New CEO: David Bailey, a 22-year company veteran, became President and CEO on February 1, 2026; F. Scott Dueser remains Executive Chairman through the 2028 annual meeting.
- Record 2025 net income of $253.6 million; total assets $15.31 billion at June 30, 2026; first full-service Austin-area branch (Bee Cave) announced September 2026.

## Timeline

- Sep 29, 2026 — **First full-service Austin-area branch** A Bee Cave branch planned for late October 2026; the bank lists 81 Texas locations. ([First Financial Bankshares (PR Newswire)](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-financial-bank-to-open-first-full-service-branch-in-austin-area-with-new-bee-cave-branch-302893317.html))
- Jul 16, 2026 — **Second-quarter 2026 earnings** Earnings of $71.89 million; total assets of $15.31 billion at June 30, 2026. ([First Financial Bankshares (PR Newswire)](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-financial-bankshares-announces-second-quarter-2026-earnings-302827948.html))
- Apr 28, 2026 — **Annual meeting: record 2025 earnings** Record net income of $253.6 million; the Executive Chairman says the leadership transition is 'going extremely well'. ([MarketBeat via Yahoo Finance](https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/first-financial-bankshares-touts-record-014147918.html))
- Feb 25, 2026 — **10-K names AI as an adoption risk** Operational challenges from adopting, or failing to adopt, technology such as AI, including not realising the anticipated benefits. ([First Financial Bankshares (SEC filing)](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/36029/000119312526071549/ffin-20251231.htm))
- Jan 28, 2026 — **David Bailey named CEO** Bailey becomes President and CEO of First Financial Bankshares and First Financial Bank; Dueser becomes Executive Chairman. ([First Financial Bankshares (PR Newswire)](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-financial-bankshares-inc-first-financial-bank-announce-promotion-of-david-bailey-to-ceo-302672963.html), [First Financial Bankshares (SEC filing)](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/36029/000119312526029410/ffin-20260127.htm))
- Jan 14, 2026 — **Succession-planning promotions** A round of executive promotions that the bank describes as part of continued succession planning. ([First Financial Bankshares (PR Newswire)](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-financial-bank-announces-promotions-as-part-of-its-continued-succession-planning-302661614.html))

## Where AI runs

| Use case | What | Status | Detail | Sources |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [AI governance (general)](https://www.bankingnewsai.com/ai-regulation/by-use-case#governance-general) | AI adoption risk (10-K) | Announced | The 10-K flags the risk of adopting, or failing to adopt, technology such as AI; no AI system in use is named. | [First Financial Bankshares (SEC filing)](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/36029/000119312526071549/ffin-20251231.htm) |

## Disclosed numbers

| Measure | Value | As of | Sources |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Lead-bank assets (Fed release) | $15,234 million | Jun 30, 2026 | [Federal Reserve Board](https://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/lbr/current/) |
| Consolidated total assets | $15.31 billion | Jun 30, 2026 | [First Financial Bankshares (PR Newswire)](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-financial-bankshares-announces-second-quarter-2026-earnings-302827948.html) |
| 2025 net income | $253.6 million (record) | Dec 31, 2025 | [MarketBeat via Yahoo Finance](https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/first-financial-bankshares-touts-record-014147918.html) |

## Quotes

> "As we look ahead, we remain focused on disciplined growth, prudent risk management and creating long term value for shareholders" — David Bailey, President and CEO, Jul 16, 2026 ([First Financial Bankshares (PR Newswire)](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-financial-bankshares-announces-second-quarter-2026-earnings-302827948.html))

## Who runs AI

- **David Bailey** — President and CEO (from February 1, 2026) ([First Financial Bankshares (SEC filing)](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/36029/000119312526029410/ffin-20260127.htm), [First Financial Bankshares (PR Newswire)](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-financial-bankshares-announces-second-quarter-2026-earnings-302827948.html))
- **F. Scott Dueser** — Executive Chairman ([First Financial Bankshares (PR Newswire)](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-financial-bankshares-inc-first-financial-bank-announce-promotion-of-david-bailey-to-ceo-302672963.html), [MarketBeat via Yahoo Finance](https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/first-financial-bankshares-touts-record-014147918.html))
- **Michelle Hickox** — EVP and Chief Financial Officer ([MarketBeat via Yahoo Finance](https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/first-financial-bankshares-touts-record-014147918.html))

## Regulators it answers to

- [Federal Reserve](https://www.bankingnewsai.com/ai-regulation/federal-reserve) — First Financial Bank is a Texas state member bank and its parent a financial holding company; the Federal Reserve's model-risk and third-party guidance applies to any AI it adopts. See [SR 11-7](https://www.bankingnewsai.com/ai-regulation/documents/fed-sr-11-7), [SR 23-4](https://www.bankingnewsai.com/ai-regulation/documents/fed-sr-23-4).
- [CFPB](https://www.bankingnewsai.com/ai-regulation/cfpb) — Consumer lending and deposit products carry adverse-action and UDAAP duties for any automated decisioning. See [ECOA / Regulation B adverse action (15 U.S.C. 1691(d); 12 CFR 1002.9)](https://www.bankingnewsai.com/ai-regulation/documents/cfpb-ecoa-regulation-b-adverse-action).

## What the record suggests

### A technology subsidiary without an AI story

Owning First Technology Services gives First Financial in-house capacity many community banks lack, yet nothing about AI has been published from it; any AI work would most likely surface there first.

### The risk factor cuts both ways

By naming the risk of failing to adopt AI, the 10-K acknowledges competitive pressure without committing to a programme.

### A new CEO is a natural point for a strategy statement

Bailey took over in February 2026; a first full year under new leadership is when a technology or AI agenda would usually be set out to investors.

## FAQ

### Does First Financial Bank in Texas use AI?

First Financial Bankshares has not disclosed an AI programme, tool or vendor. Its 2025 10-K mentions AI only as a risk of adopting, or failing to adopt, new technology.

### Is First Financial Bankshares the same as First Financial Bancorp?

No. First Financial Bankshares (Nasdaq: FFIN) is based in Abilene, Texas and operates only in Texas. First Financial Bancorp (Nasdaq: FFBC) is a separate bank based in Cincinnati, Ohio, with its own page on this site at /banks/first-financial-ohio.

## Sources (8)

1. First Financial Bankshares, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 — First Financial Bankshares (SEC filing), Feb 25, 2026. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/36029/000119312526071549/ffin-20251231.htm
2. FIRST FINANCIAL BANK ANNOUNCES PROMOTIONS AS PART OF ITS CONTINUED SUCCESSION PLANNING — First Financial Bankshares (PR Newswire), Jan 14, 2026. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-financial-bank-announces-promotions-as-part-of-its-continued-succession-planning-302661614.html
3. First Financial Bankshares, Inc., First Financial Bank Announce Promotion of David Bailey to CEO — First Financial Bankshares (PR Newswire), Jan 28, 2026. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-financial-bankshares-inc-first-financial-bank-announce-promotion-of-david-bailey-to-ceo-302672963.html
4. First Financial Bankshares, Inc. Form 8-K (CEO transition), January 27, 2026 — First Financial Bankshares (SEC filing), Jan 28, 2026. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/36029/000119312526029410/ffin-20260127.htm
5. First Financial Bankshares touts record 2025 earnings, boosts dividend at annual meeting — MarketBeat via Yahoo Finance, Apr 29, 2026. https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/first-financial-bankshares-touts-record-014147918.html
6. FIRST FINANCIAL BANKSHARES ANNOUNCES SECOND QUARTER 2026 EARNINGS — First Financial Bankshares (PR Newswire), Jul 16, 2026. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-financial-bankshares-announces-second-quarter-2026-earnings-302827948.html
7. FIRST FINANCIAL BANK TO OPEN FIRST FULL-SERVICE BRANCH IN AUSTIN AREA WITH NEW BEE CAVE BRANCH — First Financial Bankshares (PR Newswire), Sep 29, 2026. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-financial-bank-to-open-first-full-service-branch-in-austin-area-with-new-bee-cave-branch-302893317.html
8. Large Commercial Banks (data as of June 30, 2026) — Federal Reserve Board, Oct 2, 2026. https://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/lbr/current/

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