Over the longer term, the CoE aims to build a talent pipeline across natural language processing, data science, AI governance and human-centred design. HSBC has announced that it will be launching a Global AI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Singapore in the second half of 2026, as part of efforts to develop artificial intelligence capabilities that can be scaled across its global network. As part of this, HSBC said it plans to hire more than 100 AI specialists who will be working alongside David Rice, its Chief AI Officer, and the teams responsible for areas such as wealth management and global payments solutions. HSBC said it will also work with educational institutions and government bodies in Singapore as part of the initiative. The bank appointed Rice as its first Chief AI Officer, effective 1 April 2026, giving him enterprise-wide responsibility for AI adoption.