Lloyds Banking Group has teamed up with Cambridge Spark to deliver a six-month AI training programme for its leadership teams.
More than 200 senior leaders at Lloyds Banking Group will take part in the “Leading with AI” programme, an 80-hour course that mixes in-person workshops, virtual masterclasses and projects aimed at building strategic AI leadership skills.
Participants will learn how to identify high-impact opportunities using advanced AI technologies and lead the rollout of AI-driven solutions that aim to boost efficiency and improve customer experience.
Ron van Kemenade, Group Chief Operating Officer at Lloyds Banking Group, said: “AI is a game-changer for financial services, and we’re investing to enhance our services with cutting-edge technology. The programme with Cambridge Spark will empower our business leaders to further innovate with AI and drive commercial excellence using this transformative technology.”
Cambridge Spark has previously supported Lloyds Banking Group’s talent development through a graduate boot camp focused on equipping data scientists and engineers with practical, industry-ready skills.
Dr. Raoul-Gabriel Urma, Founder and Group CEO of Cambridge Spark, said: “Following the success of our previous collaboration with Lloyds Banking Group, we’re delighted to partner with them on this ambitious AI professional development initiative.”
“We’ve worked closely with Lloyds’ team to design this bespoke six-month programme, specifically tailored to complement the group’s strategic vision as they continue to strengthen their culture of innovation and forward-thinking leadership.”
AI was one of the biggest topics of discussion around industry tradeshows last year in the payments space. This was mainly due to traditional financial institutions, like Lloyds, adopting the technology in a number of ways.
Fraud prevention and customer support are the two most common uses for AI, with the latter helping professionals spend more time on their core tasks instead of focusing on customer support.
Despite this early adoption, Urma believes that “advancing AI capabilities represents both the greatest challenge and opportunity for today’s businesses”.
“Enhancing these capabilities within senior leadership creates a powerful multiplier effect that drives innovation throughout the organisation,” Uma said. “We’re excited to support Lloyds Banking Group in this strategic investment.”
Since ramping up its use of AI last year, Lloyds Banking Group has prioritised safety and responsibility, aligning with the evolving regulatory landscape, which has yet to establish universal policies for the technology. As part of this focus, the bank has strengthened its leadership team by appointing key senior roles dedicated to ensuring responsible AI usage, including the hiring of Magdalena Lis as Head of Responsible AI in January.
“Our approach to AI is based on integrating it deeply throughout every aspect of our business rather than limiting it to a centralised technical team. We’re building on our existing expertise to develop the most AI-capable leadership team in banking,” van Kemenade, concluded.
