How BFSI Education will be shaped by AI

Dr Soumyadip has a wealth of experience in academia and BFSI. Most recently he worked as Associate Professor and Associate Dean at Jindal School of Banking & Finance at O.P Jindal Global University. Earlier, he worked as Vice President – Fraud Risk at Citibank in Delaware, USA. He worked on fraud risk at Discover Financial Services in Phoenix, USA. Prior to obtaining his Ph.D., he worked with Genpact in Bangalore as a Business Analyst.

Artificial Intelligence is already one of the most transformative forces in education globally. In BFSI (Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance) education, it has the power to reshape how we teach, learn, and prepare future professionals. And some institutions are not just observing this shift but actively building for it.

From One-Size-Fits-All to Personalized Learning

One of the longstanding challenges in the Indian education system is its scale. In order to teach large batches efficiently, institutions often follow a one-size-fits-all approach. While this may serve logistical efficiency, it does little justice to the individual learning curves, language barriers, or cultural differences among students.

This is where AI shines. Its biggest strength lies in enabling personalized learning experiences—tailored to each student’s strengths, weaknesses, pace, and potential. Imagine starting the academic year with a comprehensive AI-generated report for each student. This report wouldn’t just highlight academic performance, but also map soft skills, learning agility, and areas that need support. Faculty could then adapt the coursework, teaching style, and even student groupings to create a more effective, inclusive classroom. What currently takes months of interaction and evaluation can now be achieved in weeks, or even days.

Enhancing Faculty, Not Replacing Them

There is often an underlying fear that AI might replace educators. In my experience, it is quite the opposite. While AI can offer suggestions for teaching techniques, it is the faculty who remain central to the learning experience. They bring context, empathy, and agility—particularly important in a field like BFSI, where customer experience is top priority.

We must also empower faculty to use AI meaningfully, by introducing dedicated modules that help our educators identify when and how to use AI tools—whether it’s for simplifying financial concepts, designing assessments, or evaluating student progress without bias.

Simulating Real-Life Scenarios with AI

One of the most innovative applications of AI in BFSI education is in the development of soft skills training. As anyone in the banking industry will tell you, technical skills get you in the door, but soft skills build lasting client relationships. Using AI-generated chatbots, avatars and near-real simulations helps students practice customer interactions. Whether it’s handling rejection calls, addressing irate customers, or even writing well-rounded emails students can safely make mistakes and learn from them. 

Objectivity in Evaluation and Performance Tracking

Another remarkable benefit of AI is the objectivity it brings to student evaluations. Human assessments, no matter how well-intentioned, can sometimes be influenced by subconscious biases. AI-generated performance reports, driven by data rather than perception, uphold the integrity of the learning process.

Having said that, we need to be cautious about adopting AI at scale. Data privacy and ethical use of AI remain top concerns. That’s why we need to ensure that any AI tool we adopt is fully vetted and compliant with data security standards. The last thing we want is erroneous or misused data that could misguide a student’s career.

Coexisting with AI is the Future of BFSI

I see AI not as a replacement but as a reinforcement of human potential. As AI tools take over routine tasks and enable greater personalization, professors can be empowered to focus on what truly matters—shaping mindsets, building confidence, and mentoring future professionals.

But the real power of AI in education will only be unlocked when it’s used thoughtfully, ethically, and with a deep understanding of the learning context. That’s why we must invest not just in technology, but in the people who will use it—educators.

The future isn’t about choosing between AI and educators. It’s about building a system where both work together to create learning experiences that are smarter, fairer, and more human than ever before.