In a recent conversation with Will Lawrence, CEO of Greenlite, we discussed the evolving landscape of financial crime compliance. The dialogue covered key topics such as the roles of first and second lines of defense (1LOD and 2LOD), the impact of recent advancements in AI, and the safe application of AI in compliance operations. This blog and video series highlights the essential insights from out discussion and we hope it helps you better understand how AI can positively impact your compliance operations.

What are the roles of 1LOD and 2LOD in financial institutions?

In financial institutions, the 1LOD and 2LOD play distinct roles in managing risks. The first line of defense (1LOD) involves frontline staff who manage daily operations and identify potential risks. This layer is critical for the initial handling and escalation of issues. The second line of defense (2LOD) focuses on developing and maintaining policies, programs, and controls to ensure regulatory compliance and risk management. This structure allows banks to effectively segregate duties, ensuring thorough oversight and robust risk mitigation.
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What are the pain points of 1LOD operations teams?

One of the major pain points in 1LOD operations is the high false positive rates in screening processes, often exceeding 99%. This leads to excessive manual work, as compliance teams have to sift through numerous false alerts. Other challenging areas include Customer Identification Program (CIP), Identity Verification (IDV), and Transaction Monitoring (TM). These tasks are not only repetitive but also labor-intensive, making them resource-intensive and time-consuming. The outcome is a significant drain on compliance teams, preventing them from focusing on high-value risk management activities.
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How is AI evolving and impacting compliance teams?

The conversation highlighted recent advancements in AI, particularly the distinction between supervised machine learning and language models. While supervised machine learning has been used for years to analyze data and make predictions, recent breakthroughs in language models have unlocked new possibilities for text-based processing. This shift has significant implications for compliance teams, as many tasks in financial crime prevention involve analyzing and processing large volumes of text. The ability to automate these processes can lead to substantial efficiency gains.
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How are financial institutions using generative AI? 

Generative AI is now being used in production by real financial institutions to automate compliance processes. Greenlite, for example, has implemented AI technologies to automate various 1LOD tasks, including name screening and transaction monitoring. These innovations have allowed compliance teams to focus more on high-risk areas and less on routine tasks. The most notable benefits of these technologies include increased efficiency, reduced human error, and better allocation of resources.
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How can AI be used safely and compliantly in banking?

As financial institutions increasingly adopt AI, there is a growing need to ensure the safe and compliant use of these technologies. Not all compliance tasks can or should be fully automated. For instance, AI should not be used to make final decisions on Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs), as regulatory requirements mandate human oversight. To mitigate risks, banks should focus on using AI as a tool to support decision-making, rather than replacing human judgment entirely. By carefully selecting low-risk areas for automation, such as preliminary screening tasks, banks can leverage AI’s efficiency while maintaining robust compliance standards.
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Conclusion

The discussion between underscores the transformative potential of AI in financial crime compliance. By understanding the distinct roles of 1LOD and 2LOD, addressing the pain points in compliance operations, and carefully implementing AI technologies, banks and fintechs can enhance their risk management capabilities. As the industry continues to evolve, staying informed about the latest advancements and best practices in AI and compliance will be crucial for banks and fintechs to navigate this complex landscape. Watch the full video below.
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