Principle agreement will strengthen trust in AI

How can a bank use the enormous potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve customer service and banking processes and also address concerns employees may have? The Bank and Works Council have now jointly developed AI principles to answer this question.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are increasingly finding their way into our daily lives and into our working environment at Commerzbank. This brings a wide range of opportunities to serve our clients even better, to make banking processes faster and more efficient, and to manage risks better. At the same time, the use of AI new challenges for companies as employers. This is one of the reasons why Commerzbank has addressed this issue at an early stage.

Tomas Klenke and Julia Sterling from the Bank and Gunnar de Buhr and Thomas Kühnl from the Works Council have taken the lead on this topic.

“Since 2017, the Big Data & Advanced Analytics key area acts as the center of competence for AI at the Bank. The AI strategy, with a focus on creating trust, has been developed here for several years. In addition to well-known aspects such as data protection and information security, the focus is on four dimensions: human control, fairness, transparency and reliability. Ultimately, AI only works if users trust it, that’s why it is important and positive that Commerzbank has developed a common and solid foundation for the use of AI in the Bank with the AI principles,” reports Tomas Klenke, Head of AI Solutions & Data Insights.

The AI principles should also enable employees to deal with the changes associated with AI.

“The correct introduction of AI in a company is important for the success of such a project. We need to empower colleagues to keep pace with the changes. AI must be seen as an opportunity to support work. For example, we need to make sure that there is sufficient transparency and that we can explain AI in our processes. Also, our colleagues concerns and fears must be taken seriously. At the Bank, we’ve agreed that we won’t use AI to analyse or manipulate employees' emotions, personality traits or mental state,” emphasizes Thomas Kühnl, Chairman of the Works Council Bavaria North and spokesperson for the General Works Council Committee for People, Organisation and Technology.

Gunnar de Buhr, “For us, human control does not begin with high-risk applications. The employee stays responsible for the results generated by AI. This means that at the end of such a process there is always human control. AI and ML are used in our bank to support employees in their work processes”

“We take colleagues’ fears and concerns seriously. There must be no 'transpicuous colleagues', only then will there be the necessary trust in the use of AI,” says Thomas Kühnl. Trust is the foundation, just like data protection and ethical responsibility. “Trustworthy AI means, above all, that users are open to it and use the potential of AI correctly. That’s why it’s important and a positive sign that we now have a common and solid foundation for the use of AI in the Bank,” summarizes Tomas Klenke. The Bank and the Works Council will continue to discuss the use of AI and ML on a regular basis.