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Review - WU matters. WU talks
„Artificial Banking“

On October 22, 2025, the Institute for Department of Finance, Accounting & Statistics hosted the event series “WU matters. WU talks”.

These public talks focus on the social and economic challenges of our times.

The discussion about „Artificial Banking – Will AI soon decide on my loan?“ opened with a talk from Kurt Hornik (Professor of Statistics and Computing, WU) followed by a talk from Karin Turner-Hrdlicka (European Central Bank (ECB). Stefan Pichler chaired the event.

Topic: "Artificial Banking – Will AI soon decide on my loan?"

Dear AI, please give me that loan!

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing entire industries and professional fields. The banking sector is all about numbers and figures, which lend themselves to computer processing. The banking industry is therefore particularly affected by the advance of AI: Algorithms can identify potentially problematic loans and reject applications for such loans. AI can also flag problematic banks to banking supervisors early on so that the banks can be wound down. But what about data protection? How much do AI systems really know? And do neural networks also make mistakes?

Discussion: 

• Gerda Holzinger-Burgstaller, CEO, Erste Bank Österreich 

• Kurt Hornik, Professor of Statistics and Computing, Department of Finance, Accounting and Statistics, WU Vienna 

• Michael Höllerer, CEO, Raiffeisenlandesbank Niederösterreich-Wien 

• Karin Turner-Hrdlicka, Director General, On-Site and Internal Model Inspections, European Central Bank (ECB)