By Tsering Namgyal
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), acting as the de facto central bank of the region, is encouraging financial institutions to adhere to a newly established set of guidelines regarding the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in applications that engage with consumers, as its adoption within the banking sector continues to expand. Financial institutions intending to incorporate GenAI into their offerings are advised to follow several key principles, including providing customers with the option to opt out of the technology and ensuring that AI models do not result in unfair biases or disadvantages for specific consumer demographics.
Furthermore, the document emphasizes that company boards and senior management must maintain accountability for all decisions and processes driven by GenAI. Although the principles outlined in 2019 for the use of AI by banks remain largely relevant, the HKMA is advocating for additional measures to address potential risks unique to GenAI, which may have an even greater impact on customers, according to the regulator.
The guidelines have been issued as regulators observe a growing interest in Generative AI within the banking sector, according to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA). A survey conducted by the bank revealed that 39 percent of the authorized institutions in Hong Kong have either implemented or are planning to implement Generative AI technologies.
However, the HKMA noted that the adoption of this technology, which gained prominence through OpenAI’s ChatGPT, remains in its nascent stages within the banking industry. Most institutions are currently utilizing readily available third-party solutions for various business operations, including summarization, translation, coding, and internal chatbots. The regulator indicated that potential applications may extend to customer-facing chatbots and robo-advisors in areas such as wealth management and insurance. Additionally, some financial institutions that fall outside the HKMA’s regulatory scope have already developed consumer-facing AI applications.
Tiger Brokers, equipped with a chatbot that provides stock recommendations, has reported that its artificial intelligence is conserving significant amounts of time for investors. FWD Group, an insurance provider based in Hong Kong, has entered into a four-year agreement with Microsoft to utilize the technology company’s AI services, which FWD has deemed “extremely important… for our customers.” Although Hong Kong presently does not have specific laws or regulations governing Generative AI, the city’s regulatory authorities are making efforts to adapt to the rapid adoption of this technology by releasing non-binding guidelines.
About the author
Tsering Namgyal is the chief content officer of Blockwind.news.
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