The adoption of AI in banking can drive significant changes, accelerating digital transformation, unlocking new ways to enhance operational efficiency and productivity while simultaneously improving customer experiences.
This is according to Muhammad Ali Bhikhan, managing executive and chief information officer at Absa Regional Operations (ARO), who is scheduled to deliver a presentation at the ITWeb AI Summit 2025 at The Forum, Bryanston, on 13 February.
The Pan-African financial institution believes that as customer expectations evolve, it has become increasingly imperative for banks to stand out by offering customers more personalised interactions and to create value beyond traditional financial services.
Bhikhan will explore AI’s transformative potential, demonstrating how it can be leveraged more for optimising operations, creating more meaningful work and enhancing customer engagement.
Key discussion points will include:
- Absa’s vision of becoming a digitally powered business and the critical role of AI in achieving this vision.
- The potential benefits, opportunities and challenges of AI in the banking sector.
- Examples of AI-powered innovations and their potential impact on customer experience.
He will also highlight the potential of AI to increase productivity benefits, through increased automation, streamlined operations and enhanced decision-making processes.
According to Bhikhan, AI use is not just about automation – it’s about unlocking new customer experiences, driving growth and enabling smarter decision-making. By empowering people to focus on what they do best – creating, innovating and building deeper connections with customers – AI becomes a key enabler of success.
Bhikhan asserts that to truly harness AI’s full potential, a new school of thought must be developed – one that reimagines how AI and humans can collaborate in real-time.
Share