The emergence of technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and quantum computing continues to create opportunities for businesses across financial services. However, investing in new technology does not automatically translate into meaningful business transformation. The challenge is understanding how these technologies can enable new business models, address underlying organisational problems and deliver measurable outcomes.

In this episode of Scouting For Growth, Sabine VanderLinden sits down with Ariel Wolanow, Managing Director at Finserv Experts, to explore how organisations can approach technological innovation and harness artificial intelligence responsibly.

Drawing on his experience at IBM, where he helped establish consulting practices across East Africa and Southeast Asia, Ariel explains why businesses need to start with the problem they are trying to solve rather than the technology itself. He also shares his perspective on organisational maturity, the importance of building internal capabilities and why understanding the underlying business model is essential to achieving value from emerging technologies.

The conversation also explores the evolving regulatory landscape around artificial intelligence, including the EU AI Act, how organisations can use its risk-based framework as a guide to responsible AI adoption, and why human accountability remains essential as AI becomes increasingly integrated into business processes.

Sabine and Ariel discuss:

• Why organisations investing in emerging technologies need to focus on the business models those technologies enable, rather than simply re-engineering existing processes and infrastructure.
• How businesses should identify the underlying problems they need to solve, assess organisational maturity and address capability gaps before implementing technological solutions.
• Why the EU AI Act provides a useful framework for understanding AI risk categories, establishing appropriate controls and guiding responsible AI adoption, including for organisations outside the EU.
• How businesses can manage AI compliance and accountability by automating evidence collection and applying appropriate governance and risk management practices.
• Why human accountability remains essential when AI is used to support decisions, and how the role of people changes as organisations increasingly rely on AI-driven tools and systems.

As artificial intelligence becomes more embedded in business operations, successful adoption requires more than technological investment. Organisations need to understand the problems they are solving, establish appropriate governance and maintain clear lines of human accountability.

This conversation explores how businesses can approach emerging technology with a focus on practical outcomes, responsible adoption and the business models that create lasting value.

Listen to the full episode now on Apple or Spotify.