The Banking Industry Architecture Network (BIAN) has announced the launch of two new tools, including one designed to help developers and architects find the most appropriate API for their specific project.

The new API align tool enables banks to map internal APIs against BIAN's, score alignment and certification, and receive AI-driven recommendations on how to best align APIs to the non-profit’s standards.

The organisation also revealed that it is working with several major platform providers, including Microsoft, to potentially embed the new tool into their platforms.

It said that this will enable banks who are using these platforms to create, develop and integrate BIAN compliant APIs and code objects more efficiently.

BIAN, which was established in 2008, is a collaborative not-for-profit global network made up of banks, tech providers, consultants, and academics. The organisation aims to establish and promote a common framework for banking interoperability issues.

The organisation has additionally introduced the Business Scenario Designer (BSD) tool, designed to help users to choose the relevant BIAN service domain and develop workflows based on the Network's rules to ensure valid connections to its standards.

The BSD is a modelling tool which includes templated processes to encourage further time savings and support collaboration projects.

BIAN said that the tool will also enable users to contribute to template development, ensuring templates are widely applicable and tailored for use.

In time, the BSD will evolve from a diagram to enabling code output, which the organisation added will further reduce the time needed to develop BIAN compliant integrations.

“The new BIAN tools enable developers, architects and business decision makers to leverage our standards more effectively,” said Steve Van Wyk, chairman of the BIAN executive board. “We will start to see much greater development, adoption and usage of standards-based integration with these tools, lowering the costs of integration and enabling more banks to embark on digital transformation projects.”

Van Wyk said that the new tools provide another step towards achieving its goal of lowering banking.

These tools are available for BIAN members to preview immediately, with the technology continuing to be developed alongside member feedback.

The organisation is also developing other tools which will be released over the next year.

Last Monday, BIAN announced that it had welcomed 27 new members since the beginning of the year, with the non-profit saying it has continued to receive "significant interest" from global banks as they embark on their digital transformation journeys.

Technology executives at TSB, Citi and Wells Fargo recently revealed details about where they are on their journey to rolling out the BIAN framework.

Speaking at the BIAN Banking Summit, Samuel van Niekerk, head of operations at Standard Bank Group also recently called on banks to become "API-led".

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