Chatbots, reduction of manual processes and explainability were all hot topics in a recent discussion between Madhurima Khandelwal, Vice President and Head of DataLabs at American Express®, and Eric Haller, Executive Vice President and head of Experian DataLabs. The importance of AI’s role in innovation in the financial services space was the focus of the recent video interview. In the interview, Khandelwal highlighted some of the latest in what American Express DataLabs is working on to continue to solve complex challenges by building tools driven by AI and Machine Learning: Natural language processing has come a long way in even the last few years. Khandelwal discussed how chat bots and conversational AI can automate the simple to complex to enhance customer experience. Document recognition and processing is another leading-edge innovation that is useful for extracting and analyzing information, which saves staff countless manual hours, Khandelwal said. Fairness and explainability are consistently brought to the forefront especially in financial services as regulators are looking at ways to prevent AI/ML from causing bias for the consumer. Khandelwal showcased how there is extreme rigor in each part of creating their models and how human oversight and training are primary drivers for how they stay on top of this. As for innovation advice, Khandelwal points out that it’s important to be aware that AI and innovation are not always interchangeable, and companies need to think through whether a problem needs to be solved through AI/ML models before charting ahead. Another major key to the equation is the data. In all use cases, the undercurrent of innovation in any form is dependent on the data being used. Learn more about this topic and what Harry Potter has to do with women in data science. Watch the Interview
Digitalization, also known as the process of using digital technology to provide new opportunities for revenue and growth, continues to remain a top priority for many organizations in 2021. In fact, IDC predicts that by 2024, “over 50% of all IT spending will be directly for digital transformation and innovation (up from 31% in 2018).”[1] By combining data and analytics, companies can make better and more instant decisions, meet customer expectations, and automate for greater efficiency. Advances in AI and machine learning are just a few areas where companies are shifting their spend. Download our new white paper to take a deep dive into other ongoing analytics trends that seem likely to gain even greater traction in 2021. These trends will include: Increased digitalization – Data is a company’s most valuable asset. Companies will continue utilizing the information derived from data to make better data-driven decisions. AI for credit decisioning and personalized banking – Artificial intelligence will play a bigger role in the world of lending and financial services. By using AI and custom machine learning models, lending institutions will be able to create new opportunities for a wider range of consumers. Chatbots and virtual assistants – Because customers have come to expect excellent customer services, companies will increase their usage of chatbots and virtual assistants to facilitate conversations. Cloud computing – Flexible, scalable, and cost-effective. Many organizations have already seen the benefits of migrating to the cloud – and will continue their transition in the next few years. Biometrics – Physical and behavioral biometrics have been identified as the next big step for cybersecurity. By investing in these new technologies, companies can create seamless interactions with their consumers. Download Now [1] Gens, F., Whalen, M., Carnelley, P., Carvalho, L., Chen, G., Yesner, R., . . . Wester, J. (2019, October). IDC FutureScape: Worldwide IT Industry 2020 Predictions. Retrieved January 08, 2021, from https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=US45599219