今年3月，Bloomberg《彭博》報導，滙控考慮在未來幾年進行大規模裁員，押注人工智能（AI）以縮減其中後台部門規模，近日 Bloomberg《彭博》訪問滙控 CEO Georges Elhedery 時單刀直接問及滙控推行 AI 會裁多少職位，Elhedery 給出不一樣的答案。
Elhedery指出AI只是令職位轉移，現時銀行透過引入AI輔助開戶及KYC (核實客戶身份) 的過程的確提升了生產力；而因AI而節省的資源，將會重新投資於人才身上。這能令銀行在維持與客戶互信關係的前提下，大規模、即時且安全地提供高度個人化的服務。他強調未來需要人的判斷、需要人來做決策、需要人的責任感作為核心。
這番「重新投資人才」的言論，雖然聽起來像是標準的公關政治正確，避免了重蹈渣打CEO的公關災難，但對照滙控早前因大重組導致資深銀行家流失、甚至疑似痛失大單的傳聞，這番話顯得格外諷刺。
以節省成本為大前提的大規模 AI 化，或許能令短期的財務成績表顯得亮麗，但在極度依賴人脈與信任的高級專業服務中，客戶要的依然是「人」的有溫度服務。滙控這次能否真的「把資源留給人才」，還是只是另一場公關太極，市場正拭目以待。
假若你是客戶，你希望由AI服務你？還是真人服務你？你的取態其實正不知不覺修正著市場方向。
Back in March this year, Bloomberg reported that HSBC was weighing deep job cuts over the coming years, betting on artificial intelligence (AI) to shrink its middle and back offices. Yet, when Bloomberg explicitly pressed HSBC CEO Georges Elhedery on exactly how many jobs would be slashed as the bank rolls out AI, Elhedery offered a refreshingly different answer.
Elhedery pointed out that AI merely triggers a displacement of roles. While the introduction of AI to assist in onboarding and KYC (Know Your Customer) processes has indeed boosted productivity, the resources saved will be reinvested back into talent. This strategy aims to allow the bank to deliver highly personalized services at scale, instantly and securely, while maintaining mutual trust with clients. He emphasized that human judgment, human decision-making, and human accountability must remain at the very core of the future.
While this rhetoric of “reinvesting in talent” sounds like standard corporate political correctness—clearly calculated to avoid the PR disaster previously suffered by the Standard Chartered CEO—it feels remarkably ironic when contrasted with rumors that HSBC’s massive restructuring earlier led to an exodus of senior bankers and the suspected loss of major client mandates.
Massive AI adoption driven primarily by cost-cutting might make short-term financial report cards look shiny and bright. Yet, in high-end professional services that rely heavily on personal networks and trust, what clients truly demand is still the “human touch.” Whether HSBC can truly “keep its resources for talent” this time—or if this is just another round of corporate PR tai chi—remains to be seen.
If you were the client, would you prefer to be served by AI, or by a real human? Your preference is, without you even realizing it, actively reshaping the direction of the market.
參考資料 Reference:
HKET https://inews.hket.com/article/4100929/hsbc-ai-layoffs-20000-jobs-2026