AI isn’t just shaping the future of work — it’s now being enforced by law.
In 2025, governments around the world have begun embedding AI literacy into regulation, education, and workforce strategy. For financial institutions, this isn’t just a trend to watch, it’s a requirement to act on.
The EU AI Act Has Changed the Game
The European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act, which entered into force in February 2025, is the world’s first comprehensive regulation of AI.
One clause stands out for every business and employer:
“Providers and deployers of AI systems shall ensure a sufficient level of AI literacy and training of their staff.”
This means organisations must now ensure their teams are AI-literate, not just aware of tools, but confident in using, evaluating, and documenting AI use responsibly.
If you work in or with the EU, this applies to your team.
Beyond Europe: Global Policies Aligning on AI Education
The EU isn’t alone. Several governments have moved fast to make AI fluency a national priority:
- UAE: Introduced mandatory AI education in all public schools from 2025 (source)
- United States: Signed a federal executive order on advancing AI literacy in education and workforce development
- Singapore, France, Saudi Arabia: Are embedding AI readiness in national reskilling and digital transformation strategies
The direction is clear: AI education is moving from optional to obligatory — for students, employees, and leaders.
What This Means for Financial Professionals
In finance, where trust, compliance, and governance are paramount, AI fluency must go beyond tools. It must include:
- Understanding the risks of AI in regulated environments
- Knowing how to document and justify AI use
- Ensuring teams are aligned with ethical and legal frameworks
- Demonstrating continuous learning and capability development
Without this, firms may fall behind on compliance — and professionals risk becoming unqualified for emerging expectations.
The Executive AI Certificate: Built for This Moment
CFTE’s Executive AI Certificate – Level 1 was created with this policy shift in mind.
Grounded in our work with regulators, ministries, and financial institutions, the programme gives you a clear path to meet emerging AI literacy standards and go beyond them.
In 4 weeks, you will:
- Complete a diagnostic to benchmark your AI fluency (AIQ Score)
- Learn how to evaluate, prompt, and apply AI in real-world finance use cases
- Build a portfolio of evidence
- Earn a certificate recognised by institutions that already use it for workforce development
You don’t need to wait for your compliance team to catch up. You can lead.
Start your AI readiness journey with a certification aligned to what regulators and employers are now asking for.
