Dr Rita Fontinha, director of flexible working at the World of Work Institute, Henley Business School, researches workforce development, organisational change and skills in banking. Her argument is that the constraint on AI adoption in banks is no longer the technology but the readiness of the people expected to use it. The Fintech Times put written questions to her on where responsibility for that readiness sits, what a systemic approach looks like in practice, and which banks have something worth copying.

AI adoption in banking is no longer just about choosing the right technology. The bigger challenge is understanding how it will affect people's jobs, skills and sense of job security. AI may not replace most jobs entirely, but it will transform many of their tasks.

Our research suggests that AI can be both helpful and demanding. It can remove repetitive work and improve productivity, but it can also create uncertainty, pressure to learn quickly and concerns about monitoring or job security. The outcome depends greatly on how banks introduce it. Ultimately, AI creates value only when employees have the confidence, skills and support to use it effectively and responsibly.

HSBC’s appointment signals that AI is moving from dispersed experimentation towards strategic leadership at a corporate level. Appointing a Chief AI Officer suggests that AI is becoming key to the bank’s operating model rather than remaining solely an IT responsibility.

However, appointing one senior leader should not concentrate all responsibility for workforce readiness in a single role.

Source link