Financial institutions and tech providers are teaming up to develop training programs to help bank employees navigate new AI-driven technology. 

As banks look to AI to gain efficiencies, employees must get on board, Srinivasan Seshadri, global head of financial services at tech provider HCLTech, told Bank Automation News, adding that FIs “want to do more with less people.”

HCLTech trains employees of its bank clients on the tech solutions it provides, Seshadri said. For example, its AI-powered trade surveillance solution is accompanied by an online training module.   

Gen AI applications within financial institutions, such as documentation or trade surveillance, include training for how to apply the specific tech, Seshadri said. However, training for broader gen AI usage remains difficult because of the speed at which the tech is evolving. 

NatWest, ING Australia, Barclays and Deutsche Bank are among HCLTech customers, according to the company. 

FIs deploying AI training 

BNY: The $30 billion bank is working with AI companies to teach its employees basic skills so that they can develop AI use cases themselves, Sarthak Pattanaik, global head of AI and engineering, said during a panel at Money20/20 last month. 

The New York-based bank deployed Nvidia’s AI factories this year to help employees in treasury management and customer service, Pattanaik said. 

Citizens Bank: The $219 billion bank has trained more than 600 employees over the past four years on gen AI, cloud infrastructure and data engineering. The in-house training programs are self-paced and immersive, Michael Ruttledge, chief information officer and head of technology services, previously told BAN. 

The Providence, R.I.-based bank is using gen AI for coding assistance, customer relations management and internal operations like human resource services, Ruttledge said. 

Truist Financial: The $511 billion bank uses AI training programs “so that everyone is well versed, not just on AI, but how AI and the framework within Truist needs to work,” Kelly Buchanan, divisional chief investment officer, told BAN. 

Truist taps its tech providers for new solutions as well as training, Buchanan said. 

Tech partners “are really great at creating educational programs along with providing hands-on training” for employees, Buchanan said. 

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