Barclays announces collaboration with ExpectAI

Barclays has announced a collaboration with ExpectAI to explore how artificial intelligence can support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in improving profitability and sustainability, the bank said.

Under the initiative, Barclays will begin testing ExpectAI’s Una platform from early 2026, using publicly available data. The platform uses AI to create digital representations of SME operations, with the aim of generating sustainability and energy-efficiency insights tailored to individual businesses.

SMEs account for around half of UK private-sector turnover and employ approximately 60% of the workforce. Barclays said improving energy resilience while reducing emissions is a key challenge for the sector and an important factor in the UK’s broader economic transition.

The testing phase will assess whether AI-driven sustainability insights can be translated into measurable improvements in productivity, cost efficiency and competitiveness for UK-based businesses. ExpectAI’s Una platform is designed to provide businesses with adaptive carbon profiles, energy-efficiency recommendations and links to solution providers and funding partners.

Daniel Hanna, group head of sustainable and transition finance at Barclays, said:

“Barclays believes that AI platforms will play an important role in supporting businesses with sustainability-related initiatives and decision-making. Our ambition with this initiative is to support the development of an emerging climate tech business and help our clients understand the connection between sustainability and business value creation.”

Anand Verma, founder and chief executive of ExpectAI, added: “We are delighted to be working with Barclays on this important initiative.

“ExpectAI was founded to help SMEs become more profitable, productive and sustainable. Barclays’ long-standing focus on SMEs and their commitment to supporting clients through the transition make them the ideal organisation to advance this work. We look forward to demonstrating how this could create real value for UK-based businesses.”

Barclays said the collaboration forms part of its wider climate strategy, which includes working with clients on their transition, financing transition activities and supporting the development of climate-focused technologies.