The BNP Paribas Group Data Office, for which you are responsible, has just organised the 7th AI Summer School. What was the theme of this year's event and what was the focus of the discussions?
This year, more than 4,000 employees from all our businesses and functions participated in the BNP Paribas AI Summer School. This number clearly shows that the topic of artificial intelligence has reached a new dimension. It is no longer just a subject for AI, data and IT experts, but a truly cross-divisional issue that concerns all our teams, whether in Sales, Marketing, Compliance, Risk or Legal.
Much of the discussion focused on Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI). We also discussed the critical importance of training and skills development, as well as the need for greater collaboration between internal experts and external partners, following the example of the partnership agreement we recently signed with Mistral AI.
What key skills do you think need to be developed to support this transformation?
To ensure the long-term success of this transformation, it is essential to develop internal skills around AI. At BNP Paribas, we currently have a community of 3,000 data and AI specialists - including 700 data scientists and AI business analysts - spread across our businesses and functions, and we are constantly recruiting experts to strengthen our technical skills in areas such as data processing, machine learning, generative AI and NLP (natural language processing).
At the same time, we have launched awareness-raising and training programmes to help our people learn how to make the best use of these technologies and get the most out of them. I would add that the integration of AI must not be limited to the technical aspects: we must also make our teams aware of the ethical, regulatory and environmental issues to ensure that its use meets the highest standards of compliance and responsibility.
"The development of responsible and ethical AI and its use in the service of sustainable finance is a priority."
What are your next goals and major projects in terms of AI, and how do you plan to integrate AI more fully into operational processes?
Artificial Intelligence will most likely be at the heart of our next strategic plan, and Generative AI will be a key component. In the coming months and years, we will continue to automate many critical processes, such as speeding up sales processes and making marketing campaigns more effective, while optimising repetitive administrative tasks and developing solutions to improve the customer experience, particularly through personalised and proactive interactions. The aim is to further improve both operational efficiency and service quality, while ensuring the highest levels of regulatory compliance. The development of responsible and ethical AI and its use in the service of sustainable finance is also a priority. AI can analyse complex data to better assess ESG criteria and improve the transparency of our investment decisions.
To achieve our ambitious goals, in addition to developing our internal capabilities, we plan to continue and expand our collaboration with industry players to share progress and ensure best practice.