Comment by Olivier Fines

Artificial intelligence has the potential to expand access, improve efficiency and strengthen retail financial services, but only if trust and accountability remain firmly at the center. The priority now is operational clarity: clear guidance on how the Consumer Duty and SM&CR apply when decision-making is increasingly delegated to AI systems. Regulation should follow function, not technological form. Where AI systems effectively shape or execute consumer decisions, protections must apply in substance, not just in label. Unverified source (2026)