FNB's Christoph Nieuwoudt on the AI revolution

Loading player...
First National Bank’s Christoph Nieuwoudt is one of the leading South African – and global – experts on artificial intelligence.
The financial services group’s chief data and analytics offer, Nieuwoudt joins Duncan McLeod on TechCentral’s TCS+ business technology show to explain why, in his view, South African organisations cannot afford to ignore the revolutionary changes that will be driven by AI in the years ahead.
Nieuwoudt, who graduated with a doctorate in engineering focused on machine learning long before AI was a hot-button topic, talks about his doctoral thesis and his career history, which included co-designing the computer engineering degree at the University of Pretoria.
In this episode of TCS+, Nieuwoudt unpacks:
• What exactly is involved in being a chief data and analytics officer;
• Why AI is critically important to the FirstRand Group and its subsidiaries, including First National Bank and Rand Merchant Bank, and what it allows the group to do differently – and better;
• What it means for FirstRand and FNB/RMB customers;
• The importance of generative AI in business and what it means for productivity gains;
• The applications of AI in banking;
• FirstRand’s AI reskilling initiative – why it’s important, and the outcomes that are expected;
• Ethical, legal and reputational considerations around AI, and FirstRand’s approach to these;
• The people element – and the real fear that people could lose their jobs;
• The cultural and change management issues to be aware of when implementing AI-led initiatives; and
• What youngsters interested in this field should be studying.
Don’t miss a fascinating conversation!
26 Jun 2023 English South Africa Technology · Business

Other recent episodes

Managing Sims, saving money: how MSB Micro keeps businesses connected

In today’s hyperconnected society, mobile connectivity is key to running a successful business, helping keep employees connected to each other, to organisational resources and to customers. To manage communications effectively, businesses need to have a clear view of the entire Sim estate across the organisation. Monitoring usage and having the…
22 Oct 12 min

Cloud On Demand's Senzo Mbhele on the benefits of the AWS distribution model

When most people think of Amazon Web Services, they automatically assume they should go directly to AWS. However, for the diverse ecosystem of AWS partners – including managed service providers and independent software vendors – the real secret to achieving significant growth often lies in leveraging the distributor model. Consider…
10 Oct 51 min

LSD Open: why repatriating from the cloud can be a costly mistake

Not every organisation that has migrated to the cloud has reaped the rewards promised in terms of faster development and deployment cycles, simplified infrastructure management, and most importantly, a reduction in costs. Some are going as far as repatriating their infrastructure back into on-premises environments, perhaps because they understand it…
23 Sep 21 min

Arctic Wolf on cybersecurity in the age of AI

What does it really take to defend a business in an era of AI-driven attacks? In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+ ,Clare Loveridge, vice president and GM for Europe, Middle East and Africa (Emea), and Johnny Ellis, senior director of Emea channel sales, both at Arctic Wolf, go beyond the…
25 Aug 33 min