HSBC has appointed David Rice as its first ever Chief AI Officer, the ‌British bank ⁠said on ⁠Monday, as it seeks to cut costs by increasing the use of generative AI technology across ⁠its businesses ‌worldwide.

HSBC CEO Georges Elhedery has ⁠highlighted AI as the key to the bank’s wider strategic goal of increasing its return on tangible equity to above ‌17% for 2026-2028, via savings from automating and streamlining ⁠its processes.

Rice was previously the Chief Operating Officer for HSBC’s Corporate and Institutional Banking business.