Governing the age of AI

From mobile banking to public services, Artificial Intelligence is quietly making decisions that affect millions of lives in Bangladesh and beyond. Often, we do not see it working. We only experience its impact—when a loan is rejected, an account is flagged, a service is delayed, or a decision cannot be explained. AI promises efficiency and progress, but without proper governance, it can just as easily exclude people, reinforce inequality, and erode trust. As AI adoption accelerates, ethical use is no longer a choice. It is a responsibility.

Artificial Intelligence is no longer an abstract concept discussed by technologists. It is already influencing everyday decisions—from banking and education to healthcare and public services—often without us even noticing. It helps doctors interpret medical scans, supports students in learning, determines who qualifies for credit, and influences how governments deliver essential services. These systems operate at speed and scale, often beyond human capacity. But this very power raises a simple and unsettling question: who is really in control—people or algorithms?

Using AI ethically is not about slowing innovation or resisting technology. It is about ensuring that technology works for people, not against them. In healthcare, AI can help detect diseases earlier and support better treatment decisions. Yet when systems are trained on incomplete or biased data, real patients can be misdiagnosed or overlooked. In education, AI can personalise learning, but without safeguards, it can compromise privacy and deepen inequality between those with access and those without.

We do not have to imagine the risks; they are already apparent. They are already here. Around the world, facial recognition systems have misidentified people with darker skin tones, leading to wrongful questioning, detention, and lasting distress. In these cases, the technology did not fail in a technical sense—it failed people because ethical oversight was missing.

The same pattern appears in hiring. Some AI-driven recruitment tools have quietly filtered out qualified candidates because they learned from biased historical data. People were rejected without explanation, never knowing that an algorithm—not a human—had decided their future. When discrimination hides inside code, it becomes harder to see, harder to challenge, and easier to deny.

In financial services, the impact can be even more personal. AI-driven credit scoring systems now play a major role in deciding who gets a loan, who can open an account, or whose transactions are flagged as suspicious. For a small business owner or a family, a single automated decision can mean opportunity—or hardship. When that decision cannot be explained or appealed, trust collapses. This is not simply a technology issue; it is a governance issue.

At this point, the real problem becomes clear. AI itself is not the enemy. The real risk lies in deploying powerful systems without clear rules, accountability, or human oversight. This is where AI governance becomes critical. At its core, AI governance is about responsibility. It asks basic but essential questions: Who is accountable when AI gets it wrong? How are decisions reviewed? Can outcomes be explained in plain language? And when should a human step in and take control?

When governance is done well, AI stops being an untouchable "black box" and becomes something people can understand and trust. In healthcare, it ensures doctors remain responsible for final decisions. In banking, it allows customers to ask questions and challenge automated outcomes. In public services, it means citizens know when algorithms are used and have a right to appeal decisions that affect their lives. Efficiency matters—but fairness and dignity matter more.

Bangladesh offers a timely and important example. As digital financial services expand rapidly, banks and financial institutions are increasingly relying on AI and advanced analytics for fraud detection, transaction monitoring, customer profiling, and credit assessment. Automation is unavoidable at this scale. Yet recent discussions and research initiatives led by the Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM) have highlighted a growing concern: while the use of AI is increasing, governance, explainability, and customer awareness are not always keeping pace. Technology is moving faster than the frameworks meant to guide it.

For banks, good AI governance does not require reinventing the system. It can begin with simple, practical steps. Clear internal policies should define where AI can be used, where it should not, and which decisions must always involve human judgment—such as loan rejections, account freezes, or high-risk classifications. Customers deserve plain-language explanations, not technical jargon. Models should be tested regularly for bias, documented properly, and reviewed just like any other critical risk.

These steps are not separate from regulation. They align closely with the principles already emphasised by Bangladesh Bank—strong risk management, customer protection, internal controls, data security, and sound ICT governance. Ethical AI governance strengthens existing laws and regulatory frameworks rather than complicating them. It is about using technology responsibly within the rules we already value.

Beyond banking, the same human-centred approach applies everywhere. In healthcare, AI should support clinicians, not replace them. In education, student data must be protected and assessments must be fair and explainable. In public services, transparency is essential—people should know when algorithms are involved and have the right to question outcomes.

The encouraging truth is that good AI governance does not require massive investment or complex systems. Often, it is about mindset and discipline. Assigning clear ownership, keeping humans in the loop, documenting decisions, and reviewing systems regularly can dramatically reduce harm. Transparency builds trust. Silence destroys it.

Time, however, is not on our side. AI is evolving faster than laws, institutions, and social norms can adapt. Without thoughtful governance, the gap between technological power and human control will continue to widen—with consequences that may be difficult to reverse.

At its core, governing the age of AI is not a technical challenge. It is a human one. The choices we make today will determine whether AI becomes a tool that empowers people or a system that quietly controls them. With strong governance, openness, and shared values, we can ensure AI serves society—strengthening trust, protecting dignity, and delivering real benefits for Bangladesh and the wider world.

B M Zahid ul Haque is an Experienced CISO and Global Cyber Digital Transformation Adviser. The author can be reached at bmzahidul.haque@gmail.com.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.