Reimagining Banking with AI: Strategic Decision-Making in the Digital Age

MIT SMR Connections

Reimagining Banking with AI: Strategic
Decision-Making in the Digital Age
20th May 2025 | Riyadh KSA


Reimagining Banking with AI: Strategic Decision-Making in the Digital Age

 

MIT SMR Connections

At MIT SMR Connections, we explore the latest trends in leadership, managing technology, and digital transformation.

ABOUT THIS EDITION

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape industries, banks and financial institutions are faced with both incredible opportunities and complex challenges in their decision-making processes. In Saudi Arabia, a rapidly evolving financial landscape driven by digital transformation requires a rethinking of how AI is integrated into the core functions of banking—from customer service to risk management, operational efficiency to regulatory compliance.

This edition of MIT SMR Connections, hosted in partnership with SAS, will bring together senior leaders from Saudi Arabia’s top banks, fintechs, and digital-first banks to explore the transformative role of AI in decision-making. The discussion will focus on the strategic implications of AI integration, examining how it is reshaping decision frameworks across the banking sector, unlocking opportunities for efficiency, personalization, and innovation.

Participants will explore the practical applications of AI in banking, alongside the critical governance and operational challenges that accompany its integration, offering actionable insights into the future of banking in a digital-first world.

Briefing Points

  • Agentic and Generative AI in Financial Services: Assessing the emerging role of agentic and generative AI in banking, from autonomous systems that make decisions in real time to generative models that fuel product innovation, and the governance frameworks needed to deploy them responsibly.
  • AI-Driven Personalization in Banking: Exploring how AI is enabling a shift toward highly personalized customer experiences and the challenges banks face in making this transition seamless, scalable, and rooted in trust.
  • AI in Risk Management and Compliance: Understanding how AI is enhancing decision-making in risk and compliance, helping banks navigate growing regulatory demands while maintaining operational resilience and transparency.
  • AI-Enabled Operational Efficiencies: Examining the role of AI and automation in streamlining operations, reducing costs, and fostering greater agility while addressing organizational, technological, and cultural hurdles to large-scale adoption.

Agenda

06:00 AM
Registration & Networking

A networking session for participants to connect with peers from banking, fintech, and digital finance, and to engage in informal conversations with experts from SAS Analytics and the MIT Sloan Management Review editorial team.

07:00 AM
Driving AI-Enabled Decision-Making in Banking

A focused discussion where senior leaders from Saudi banks, fintechs, and digital-first institutions will explore actionable strategies for leveraging AI to drive personalized customer experiences, enhance risk management, optimize operational efficiencies, and integrate agentic and generative AI in shaping the future of banking.

08:00 AM
Outlook of the Leaders and Session Highlights

A closing note capturing key takeaways, insights shared by participants, and forward-looking perspectives on AI adoption in banking.

08:10 AM
Closing Remarks & Networking Dinner

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Venue

Riyadh KSA

Riyadh KSA