Thought Leadership: Ghosts in the Machine Revisited

The opportunities and challenges as we edge closer to an AI-centric world are highlighted in our new global report Ghosts in the Machine Revisited. It analyzes survey responses from 355 senior executives from financial institutions and FinTech companies, as well as interviews conducted with leading experts in the field.

The report finds increased confidence and enthusiasm for AI in the global financial markets, which are reflected in the Middle East. In fact, the region, and particularly the United Arab Emirates, has become a popular place for developers and banks to trial innovative AI solutions, with its potential expected to increase apace in the short-term.

Ghosts in the Machine Revisited is a follow up to Baker McKenzie’s 2016 research Ghosts in the Machine: Artificial intelligence, risks and regulation in financial markets.

Here are some points of interest from the report:

1. The importance of “big data” is growing:
   AI has been around for several decades, but it has only been in the last few years that it has really taken off due to two key factors: faster and smarter technology and the availability of large amounts of relevant data.
2. AI is changing the customer experience:
   Customer-facing applications (such as chatbots and “conversational interfaces”) are now seen as one of the key areas for the use of artificial intelligence in financial services. In 2016, only 20% of survey respondents said the biggest potential of AI was its ability to improve the customer experience. In 2018, this figure more than doubled to 42%. No other segment saw such a sizeable jump over just two years.
3. AI is not a quick fix:
   A significant minority of 42% contends that AI capabilities in financial services have progressed slower than expected. However, respondents acknowledge that when AI is focused on clearly defined tasks it can live up to its potential.
4. Cloud of uncertainty and gaps in regulation:
   The majority of respondents said that they see gaps in regulation, and expressed uncertainty as to whether their own organizations understand the legal risks that come with emerging technologies.

Regulatory issues concerning AI’s use in financial markets have become sharper and more nuanced. Every new piece of AI added to an institution’s operations needs to be fully understood within the context of existing regulations and for compatibility with future regulations.

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