Today's Edition
BRUSSELS (WAM)
The World Alliance of International Financial Centres (WAIFC), in collaboration with ADGM, has published its latest report examining the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across global financial centres, highlighting both the accelerating pace of adoption and the need for coordinated, responsible governance.
Based on a comprehensive survey conducted across 12 member jurisdictions, the survey explored five key themes: AI’s impact on financial services, regulatory considerations, talent development, ecosystem innovation, and associated risks and opportunities.
The findings confirm that AI adoption is now firmly embedded across International Financial Centres (IFCs), with widespread use in compliance, fraud detection, customer service, and portfolio management.
Generative AI, in particular, is transforming compliance by enabling faster, more accurate, and more cost-efficient processes, along with real-time monitoring and enhanced decision-making.
Despite this progress, regulatory frameworks remain in development. While most jurisdictions have data protection laws applicable to AI, only a few have introduced AI-specific regulation. Many IFCs are aligning with international standards, yet gaps persist in areas such as accountability for AI-driven breaches and autonomous decision-making.
The report also highlights rising concerns around AI-related risks, including algorithmic bias, data privacy, model transparency, and reliance on third-party providers. In response, financial institutions are strengthening governance frameworks, including human-in-the-loop mechanisms to ensure oversight and maintain trust, particularly in customer-facing applications.
From a workforce perspective, AI is driving role transformation rather than displacement, with new positions such as AI governance officers and ethics specialists emerging. However, a significant global talent gap remains, especially for professionals with combined expertise in finance and advanced technologies.
To support innovation, World Alliance members have launched regulatory sandboxes, incubators, and targeted funding initiatives.
Collaboration among regulators, financial institutions, fintechs, and academia remains critical to the sustainable development of the ecosystem, with the World Alliance providing a platform to connect stakeholders, share best practices, and advance collective action.
Overall, the findings highlight strong global momentum toward responsible AI adoption in financial services. While progress is evident, continued international cooperation will be essential to strengthen regulatory clarity, address talent gaps, and ensure AI is deployed in an ethical, inclusive, and resilient manner.
Commenting on the launch of the paper, Lamia Merzouki, Chairwoman of the World Alliance, stated, “AI is no longer a distant horizon in Financial Services. It is already reshaping the industry at an unprecedented pace. From generative AI to increasingly autonomous systems, we are entering a new phase of transformation in business models, operations, and regulation. This report highlights that no financial centre can navigate this shift alone.
“Through collaboration, international financial centres can harness AI’s full potential while ensuring it is deployed responsibly, ethically, and with lasting impact.”
Salem Al Darei, CEO of the ADGM Authority, said, “The UAE has long advanced as a global hub for commerce and innovation, with Abu Dhabi at the forefront as the ‘Capital of Capital’. At the heart of this progress, ADGM has been connecting markets, capital, and ideas while demonstrating strong global investor confidence.
“We are proud to have led this World Alliance report, which explores the transformative impact of AI on financial centres and underscores the importance of collaboration in driving sustainable and inclusive growth in the financial services industry. Our collective success hinges on a shared commitment to innovation, partnership, and long-term value creation across the global financial landscape.”
