Smart Banking Summit: Access Holdings Seeks Rational Use Of AI

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BY CHINYERE OBIORA, LAGOS – Access Holdings Plc has echoed the need for ethical considerations in using Artificial Intelligence (AI) with a nodge on financial industry stakeholders to consider its sustainability implications.

The Executive Director of Information Technology (IT) & Digitalisation at Access Holdings, Lanre Bamisebi canvassed the position in a keynote address delivered by at the Smart Banking Summit 2024 held in Kenya recently.

Speaking on “AI Guardians: Securing Compliance and Mitigating Risks,” Bamisebi shed light on the imperative to strike a balance between innovation and responsibility as the banking sector and broader society embrace AI’s transformative potential.

“Artificial Intelligence has the power to revolutionise our societies. Over the years, this has become increasingly evident, offering unprecedented opportunities for growth, efficiency, and innovation. From enhancing customer service to optimising risk management, AI’s potential benefits in finance are vast.

“However, as we embrace AI, we must also ensure that its deployment is ethical, secure, and compliant with regulatory standards to mitigate risks effectively,” he said.

But as the transformative power of AI continues to fuel innovation, concerns remain about its negative impact on the environment.

According to OpenAI researchers, since 2012, the amount of computing power required to train cutting-edge AI models has doubled every three (3) to four (4) months.

They also posit that by 2040, the emissions from the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry will reach 14 per cent of the global emissions, with the bulk of those emissions coming from ICT infrastructure, particularly data centres and communication networks.

And addressing these concerns, Bamisebi said; “The exponential growth of AI adoption must be met with thoughtful consideration for its environmental footprint. As we harness the power of AI, we must prioritise sustainable practices to mitigate its energy consumption and carbon emissions, ensuring a harmonious coexistence between technological advancement and environmental preservation.

“We must embrace our roles as guardians, and place comprehensive regulatory frameworks, ethical standards, and continuous learning at the fore of our considerations so that we create a future that is safe, inclusive, and prosperous for all”.

With the theme; ‘Navigating the Next: Africa’s Leap into Smart, Secure, and Inclusive Banking’, the Summit was a pivotal gathering of leaders spearheading the digital evolution in the African banking and financial space.

Those who made submissions at the Summit include Winnie Kaaka, Head of Product and Digital Banking, Access Bank Plc; Harry Hare, Co-Founder and Chairman, dx5; Moses Okundi, CIO/CTO, Absa; Tim Theuri, CISO, Safaricom/M-Pesa Africa; Daniel Adaramola, CISO, SunTrust Bank Nigeria Ltd; Steve Njenga, Founder and CEO, Metis Technology Solutions Ltd, among others.

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