Australia’s biggest bank announced Monday it has hired Mary-Anne Williams to fill a newly created position as chief AI scientist, marking the first time an Australian financial institution has established such a role.
Williams will transition from her current position at the University of New South Wales, where she holds the role of deputy director at the university’s AI Institute along with other responsibilities.
The bank did not specify Williams’ start date in their announcement.
According to the financial institution’s statement, Williams brings knowledge spanning cutting-edge research, international industry partnerships, robotics, startup consulting, and real-world AI implementation across business, government, and community sectors.
Leading a team of AI researchers, Williams stated her priorities will include enhancing understanding of AI’s impact on society and promoting responsible artificial intelligence development throughout the organization.
This hiring represents part of the bank’s expanded AI investments, which feature partnerships with Anthropic, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft and OpenAI.
American technology companies and financial services organizations have been recruiting top AI executives from universities as they prioritize advanced research capabilities for responsible AI expansion.
