How HSBC and ING are transforming banking with AI

Meet the expert panel

Roshini Johri heads ESG Analytics at HSBC, where she leads AI and remote sensing applications supporting the bank’s net zero goals. Her expertise spans climate tech and financial services, with a focus on scalable analytics solutions.

Marco Li Mandri leads Advanced Analytics Strategy at ING, where he focuses on delivering high-impact solutions and strengthening analytics foundations. His background combines analytics, KYC operations, and AI strategy.

Carmen Soini Tourres works as a Web Analyst Consultant at Matomo, helping financial organisations optimise their digital presence whilst maintaining privacy compliance.

Key findings from the webinar

The discussion highlighted four essential elements for advancing analytics capabilities:

1. Strong data foundations matter most

“It doesn’t matter how good the AI model is. It is garbage in, garbage out,”

Johri explained. Banks need robust data governance that works across different regulatory environments.

2. Transform rather than tweak

Li Mandri emphasised the need to reconsider entire processes:

“We try to look at the banking domain and processes and try to re-imagine how they should be done with AI.”

3. Bridge technical and business understanding

Both leaders stressed the value of analytics translators who understand both technology and business needs.

“We’re investing in this layer we call product leads,”

Li Mandri explained. These roles combine technical knowledge with business acumen – a rare but vital skill set.

4. Consider production costs early

Moving from proof-of-concept to production requires careful planning. As Johri noted:

“The scale of doing things in production is quite massive and often doesn’t get accounted for in the cost.”

This includes:

• Ongoing monitoring requirements
• Maintenance needs
• Regulatory compliance checks
• Regular model updates

Real-world applications

ING’s approach demonstrates how banks can transform their operations through thoughtful AI implementation. Li Mandri shared several areas where the bank has successfully deployed analytics solutions, each benefiting both the bank and its customers.

Customer experience enhancement

The bank’s implementation of AI-powered instant loan processing shows how analytics can transform traditional banking.

“We know AI can make loans instant for the customer, that’s great. Clicking one button and adding a loan, that really changes things,”

Li Mandri explained. This goes beyond automation – it represents a fundamental shift in how banks serve their customers.

The system analyses customer data to make rapid lending decisions while maintaining strong risk assessment standards. For customers, this means no more lengthy waiting periods or complex applications. For the bank, it means more efficient resource use and better risk management.

The bank also uses AI to personalise customer communications.

“We’re using that to make certain campaigns more personalised, having a certain tone of voice,”

noted Li Mandri. This particularly resonates with younger customers who expect relevant, personalised interactions from their bank.

Operational efficiency transformation

ING’s approach to Know Your Customer (KYC) processes shows how AI can transform resource-heavy operations.

“KYC is a big area of cost for the bank. So we see massive value there, a lot of scale,”

Li Mandri explained. The bank developed an AI-powered system that:

• Automates document verification
• Flags potential compliance issues for human review
• Maintains consistent standards across jurisdictions
• Reduces processing time while improving accuracy

This implementation required careful consideration of regulations across different markets. The bank developed monitoring systems to ensure their AI models maintain high accuracy while meeting compliance standards.

In the back office, ING uses AI to extract and process data from various documents, significantly reducing manual work. This automation lets staff focus on complex tasks requiring human judgment.

Sustainable finance initiatives

ING’s commitment to sustainable banking has driven innovative uses of AI in environmental assessment.

“We have this ambition to be a sustainable bank. If you want to be a sustainable finance customer, that requires a lot of work to understand who the company is, always comparing against its peers.”

The bank developed AI models that:

• Analyse company sustainability metrics
• Compare environmental performance against industry benchmarks
• Assess transition plans for high-emission industries
• Monitor ongoing compliance with sustainability commitments

This system helps staff evaluate the environmental impact of potential deals quickly and accurately.

“We are using AI there to help our frontline process customers to see how green that deal might be and then use that as a decision point,”

Li Mandri noted.

HSBC’s innovative approach

Under Johri’s leadership, HSBC has developed several groundbreaking uses of AI and analytics, particularly in environmental monitoring and operational efficiency. Their work shows how banks can use advanced technology to address complex global challenges while meeting regulatory requirements.

Environmental monitoring through advanced technology

HSBC uses computer vision and satellite imagery analysis to measure environmental impact with new precision.

“This is another big research area where we look at satellite images and we do what is called remote sensing, which is the study of a remote area,”

Johri explained.

The system provides several key capabilities:

• Analysis of forest coverage and deforestation rates
• Assessment of biodiversity impact in specific regions
• Monitoring of environmental changes over time
• Measurement of environmental risk in lending portfolios

“We can look at distant images of forest areas and understand how much percentage deforestation is being caused in that area, and we can then measure our biodiversity impact more accurately,”

Johri noted. This technology enables HSBC to:

• Make informed lending decisions
• Monitor environmental commitments of borrowers
• Support sustainability-linked lending programmes
• Provide accurate environmental impact reporting

Transforming document analysis

HSBC is tackling one of banking’s most time-consuming challenges: processing vast amounts of documentation.

“Can we reduce the onus of human having to go and read 200 pages of sustainability reports each time to extract answers?”

Johri asked. Their solution combines several AI technologies to make this process more efficient while maintaining accuracy.

The bank’s approach includes:

• Natural language processing to understand complex documents
• Machine learning models to extract relevant information
• Validation systems to ensure accuracy
• Integration with existing compliance frameworks

“We’re exploring solutions to improve our reporting, but we need to do it in a safe, robust and transparent way.”

This careful balance between efficiency and accuracy exemplifies HSBC’s approach to AI.

Building future-ready analytics capabilities

Both banks emphasise that successful analytics requires a comprehensive, long-term approach. Their experiences highlight several critical considerations for financial institutions looking to advance their analytics capabilities.

Developing clear governance frameworks

“Understanding your AI risk appetite is crucial because banking is a highly regulated environment,”

Johri emphasised. Banks need to establish governance structures that:

• Define acceptable uses for AI
• Establish monitoring and control mechanisms
• Ensure compliance with evolving regulations
• Maintain transparency in AI decision-making

Creating solutions that scale

Li Mandri stressed the importance of building systems that grow with the organisation:

“When you try to prototype a model, you have to take care about the data safety, ethical consideration, you have to identify a way to monitor that model. You need model standard governance.”

Successful scaling requires:

• Standard approaches to model development
• Clear evaluation frameworks
• Simple processes for model updates
• Strong monitoring systems
• Regular performance reviews

Investing in people and skills

Both leaders highlighted how important skilled people are to analytics success.

“Having a good hiring strategy as well as creating that data literacy is really important,”

Johri noted. Banks need to:

• Develop comprehensive training programmes
• Create clear career paths for analytics professionals
• Foster collaboration between technical and business teams
• Build internal expertise in emerging technologies

Planning for the future

Looking ahead, both banks are preparing for increased regulation and growing demands for transparency. Key focus areas include:

• Adapting to new privacy regulations
• Making AI decisions more explainable
• Improving data quality and governance
• Strengthening cybersecurity measures

Practical steps for financial institutions

The experiences shared by HSBC and ING provide valuable insights for financial institutions at any stage of their analytics journey. Their successes and challenges outline a clear path forward.

Key steps for success

Financial institutions looking to enhance their analytics capabilities should:

1. Start with strong foundations
   • Invest in clear data governance frameworks
   • Set data quality standards
   • Build thorough documentation processes
   • Create transparent data tracking
2. Think strategically about AI implementation
   • Focus on transformative rather than small changes
   • Consider the full costs of AI projects
   • Build solutions that can grow
   • Balance innovation with risk management
3. Invest in people and processes
   • Develop internal analytics expertise
   • Create clear paths for career growth
   • Foster collaboration between technical and business teams
   • Build a culture of data literacy
4. Plan for scale
   • Establish monitoring systems
   • Create governance frameworks
   • Develop standard approaches to model development
   • Stay flexible for future regulatory changes

Learn more

Want to hear more insights from these industry leaders? Watch the complete webinar recording on demand. You’ll learn:

• Detailed technical insights from both banks
• Extended Q&A with the speakers
• Additional case studies and examples
• Practical implementation advice