Twenty-First Century Skills in Finance: Prospects for a Profound Job Transformation

Abstract

This paper analyzes the impact of breakthrough technological areas, such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data, the internet of things, and blockchain upon on conventional banking professions and skill sets. Our conclusions are based upon a large array of data collected over the course of a survey of top personnel conducted in 2017-2018 using text mining, case studies, and expert interviews. The changing requirements for workers and their competences were assessed taking into account the level of technological development (including use of relevant products and services by Russian and international companies) as well as the probability of certain professional skills being substituted by automated solutions in the medium term. The results indicate that technologies’ impact upon various functional segments of banks’ operations is varied. While most of the analyzed professions are evolving towards broader functionality, others are sliding into the “obsolete” group. In the next few years, automated systems will take full responsibility for data collection and its initial analysis, though they will not replace bank personnel fully given that they simply remain tools that help boost workers’ productivity and efficiency, extend the information base, accelerate decision-making, cut costs, and reduce risks.