NatWest Group is introducing a bank-wide accreditation in AI and data ethics, extending specialist training previously delivered to around 90 employees to colleagues across the organisation.

The programme will focus on the decisions staff make when using AI in their everyday roles, including how training data can influence results, how bias may enter automated processes and when an AI-generated outcome requires further scrutiny.

Its launch comes as NatWest expands the use of generative and agentic AI across research, customer interactions, fraud support and complaints handling. The broader rollout suggests that responsible AI is becoming an operational requirement across the bank rather than a subject reserved for data scientists, technology teams and senior managers.

Training moves beyond specialist teams

The accreditation builds on a bespoke programme developed with the University of Edinburgh and delivered across three cohorts to around 90 NatWest employees.

That course combined academic teaching with case studies based on the use of AI and data in banking. NatWest has taken elements of the programme and converted them into a structure that can be delivered across a much larger workforce.

The new accreditation includes eight e-learning modules aligned with the bank’s AI Ethics Principles, followed by a collaborative half-day session based on practical scenarios. It is expected to take between two and three months to complete, with modules launching in June and the rollout continuing until October.

Employees will receive an internal NatWest accreditation after completing the programme. They will also be expected to undertake further learning as AI capabilities, regulation and internal standards develop.

Dr Paul Dongha, head of responsible AI and AI strategy at NatWest Group, said the training was intended to help employees recognise risks and make informed decisions while using the technology.

“As AI becomes increasingly embedded in how we serve customers and run our bank, it’s important that we equip colleagues with the skills and confidence to use it responsibly,” he commented.

“This accreditation gives our colleagues even more practical tools to recognise risks, ask the right questions and make better decisions in their day-to-day roles.”

AI use spreads across banking operations

NatWest has already introduced core AI training for its workforce, with more than half of employees choosing to complete additional modules. The new accreditation adds a more structured focus on ethical judgement and the risks associated with automated decisions.

The bank is using generative AI tools for tasks including research and analysis, customer interactions, fraud prevention and complaints handling. It is also developing further uses for Cora, its customer-facing virtual assistant.

In February, NatWest outlined plans to use agentic AI within Cora to help customers report and resolve fraud cases through natural-language conversations. The proposed system would gather relevant information and support the handling of a case while operating within the bank’s controls.

The bank is also working with the Financial Conduct Authority on an agentic AI trial for complaints handling.

The model investigates complaints across several data sources and produces a summary for an employee to review. NatWest says the final decision remains subject to human approval and its existing oversight processes.

These uses place AI closer to decisions that affect customers directly. A poor summary, incomplete data or biased recommendation could influence how quickly a complaint is resolved or whether someone receives appropriate support, even when a person retains final responsibility.

Ethics becomes a workforce issue

Financial institutions have often approached responsible AI through central governance committees, model-risk teams and technical controls. Wider access to generative AI changes the scale of the task because employees can now use the technology across a much larger range of routine activities.

Training therefore needs to cover more than how a particular tool works. Employees must understand the reliability of its output, the sensitivity of the data involved and the circumstances in which an automated recommendation should be questioned or escalated.

NatWest’s programme includes guidance on assessing whether AI-driven decisions are fair and how the selection and quality of training data can affect customer outcomes.

The bank has also supported the Responsible AI Network, which brings together financial-services practitioners, academics and other businesses to discuss standards and the practical use of the technology.

Accreditation will require ongoing learning

An internal accreditation gives NatWest a common baseline against which employees’ understanding can be assessed. Its value will depend on how the training is applied after completion, particularly as tools and use cases change.

NatWest says the qualification will therefore include ongoing learning rather than ending after the initial modules and workshop.

The first courses are being introduced in June, with the full bank-wide rollout scheduled to continue through October.