The hype surrounding generative artificial intelligence is overshadowing its true complexity. As generative AI cruises toward the peak of the hype cycle with inflated expectations, analysts are already starting to predict that the hype will start to fade as early as next year. It's not that generative AI will fall short or fail, but that people will get more realistic about what generative AI can offer – and how it fits into the broader tech stack. Of course, generative AI is revolutionary and there's now a whole new world of what companies can accomplish. But it's also not a magic wand. Only by strategically applying AI as a tool in the toolbox will financial institutions ensure they don't blindly pursue or implement strategies that won't deliver on the promise of generative AI.