Charlotte Byrne, Head of Generative AI at financial services consultancy Capco, comments on the FCA’s latest AI announcement and its implications for the UK financial services sector: “The FCA’s live AI testing service is an incredibly positive move for the UK financial services sector, signalling that the FCA is leaning towards a collaborative regulatory environment, with an appetite towards safe innovation rather than steps to stifle innovation.
“Trust in AI is critical as organisations start to roll out scaled AI customer facing products. By providing firms with structured regulatory support, the FCA’s new service will introduce positive guardrails, helping organisations test and benchmark their AI models against key principles like fairness, transparency, and accountability before they reach the market.
“It will also help level the playing field, enabling a wider range of firms to innovate responsibly and at pace. For smaller firms that may not have extensive in-house AI expertise or resources, the testing lab offers an opportunity to strengthen governance and build trust with customers and stakeholders.
“This isn’t entirely selfless, the lab testing and collaboration with innovators will provide the FCA with valuable insights, from use cases to impact and common challenges to better understand how AI may impact UK financial markets and better prepare for the future.
“It’s important the FCA ensures the service remains accessible and genuinely encourages responsible innovation across firms of all sizes. The success of the initiative – and whether it ends up an accelerator rather than a cumbersome and timely process – will depend on the practical support offered and the timeframes the FCA can support given the potential demand. There is a risk that, without careful design, the process could favour larger firms with more established compliance functions.”
