The new role will be 'central' in attracting, developing AI talent
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has named leading AI researcher, Professor Mary-Anne Williams, as its first chief AI scientist, a role that CBA said will be central in attracting and developing AI talent in the bank.
In its announcement, CBA said Williams will lead CommBank's team of Distinguished AI Scientists, which is a group of researchers specialising in machine learning, responsible AI, AI security, and generative AI.
Williams will also play a "central role" in attracting and developing world-class AI talent, supporting the continued application of responsible AI across the bank, and shaping CommBank's AI research agenda.
"She will help us explore the boundaries of what's possible with AI while taking a leadership role in the continued application of responsible AI in ways that make a real difference for our customers," said Ranil Boteju, CommBank's chief AI officer, in a statement.
CBA's AI leadership team
Williams joins CBA's growing AI leadership team, following Boteju's appointment as chief AI officer earlier this year.
She has expressed excitement to join CBA "at such a pivotal moment," noting that her focus will be on responsible AI innovation at the bank.
"The opportunity to work alongside exceptional technologists and researchers and help shape how AI is applied at scale for millions of Australians is a genuine privilege," Williams said.
"My focus will be on advancing our understanding of the societal implications of AI and supporting continued responsible AI innovation across CommBank."
According to the CBA, Williams's appointment is the first time that an Australian bank took the approach of US financial services firms where they recruit senior AI leaders directly from academia.
Williams is currently the Michael J Crouch chair for innovation, founder and lead of the UNSW Business AI Lab, and deputy director of the UNSW AI Institute.
She is also a Fellow at Stanford University and a Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI).
Williams's expertise covers AI, agentic AI, human-AI collaboration, decision-making and innovation. Her research focuses on transforming how organisations manage and orchestrate generative AI agents to drive innovation.
Her appointment follows CBA's expectations earlier this year that roles will change and disappear in the wake of AI-driven workforce transformation.
To support this transformation, CBA has introduced upskilling programmes for its workforce, with over 27,600 employees and 300 senior leaders already taking part.
