HSBC and Presight Forge AI Partnership to Revolutionise Banking in UAE

Editorial Team

Last updated 9-12-2025

3 min

HSBC and Presight have signed an MoU for AI collaboration in banking.

They aim to apply AI in risk, compliance, and client acquisition to enhance operations.

A joint working group will oversee governance and ensure responsible AI use.

Presight's sovereign-grade AI solutions align with UAE's national infrastructure standards.

This partnership could drive AI as a core component in financial services.

HSBC’s new tie‑up with Presight has been making the rounds in Abu Dhabi this week, and it’s easy to see why. The two have signed a Memorandum of Understanding during Abu Dhabi Finance Week, setting the stage for deeper collaboration on artificial intelligence across key areas of banking. For anyone who’s spent time around startups or digital‑first teams in the region, the move feels spot on — AI in finance has gone from nice‑to‑have to absolutely essential.

The agreement focuses on practical, applied AI rather than flashy ideas that never leave the lab. Both sides are looking at risk and compliance, human‑capital insights, client acquisition and even real‑time executive dashboards. In simple terms, they want to use AI to make banking smarter, faster and less of a faff for both customers and internal teams. I reckon this kind of partnership is what pushes the sector forward, especially as regulators keep raising the bar on oversight.

Mohamed Al Marzooqi, HSBC UAE’s chief executive, put it plainly in the announcement, saying AI is reshaping how banks operate and serve their clients. For him, the collaboration fits neatly with the UAE’s own ambitions to scale up its AI capabilities. Presight’s CEO, Thomas Pramotedham, struck a similar chord, describing HSBC as one of the most respected names in global banking and noting that combining their technologies with HSBC’s expertise could unlock stronger and more sustainable growth. And believe it or not, that kind of alignment isn’t as common as people assume in corporate partnerships.

Away from the headlines, the two organisations are also setting up a joint working group to keep things on track. It will handle governance, review progress and ensure all the lofty goals stay grounded in responsible and transparent use of AI. Those bits rarely get attention, but from what we’ve seen at Arageek when covering fast‑moving tech ventures, that’s often where partnerships either shine or quietly fall apart.

Presight, which is backed by Abu Dhabi’s G42, has been expanding its footprint across the financial sector with what it calls sovereign‑grade AI — essentially solutions that meet strict national infrastructure standards. The company’s work already links to major UAE programmes like the Financial Infrastructure Transformation initiative. On the flip side, HSBC’s global scale gives this collaboration a reach far beyond the region, which might just be the secret sauce here… well, I mean, if both sides keep the momentum going.

All in all, the MoU doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it strengthens a trend we’ve been watching for years: AI moving from buzzword to backbone in financial services. And I’m chuffed to bits to see more partnerships in the region taking that leap, even if the execution can be a bit of a hassel at first.

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