INFOPRO hosted the webinar, “Modernizing Islamic Core Banking with AI,” where the Marketing Director, Desmond Ng, presented a compelling case for the strategic integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into Islamic core banking. The central thesis is that technology, when implemented pragmatically, is not a threat to Islamic principles but an enabler for stronger compliance, operational excellence, and customer trust. The discussion felt grounded and actionable, supported by 38 years of banking technology experience that demonstrates deep industry roots, a 100 percent successful implementation record highlighting INFOPRO’s commitment to customer success, partnerships with over 100 financial institutions across 32 countries, and more than 120 million US dollars invested in R&D showcasing a commitment to innovation.
He began with the market context, noting that Islamic finance continues to grow across regions and demographics, which raises daily pressure the FIs to process more transactions, meet evolving rules, and serve a younger, digital audience with high expectations in usability and speed.
Many FIs still depend on manual steps and modular and non-streamlined systems, which slow service, increase cost, and make audits harder, so the immediate aim is to fix these basics inside Islamic core banking to gain clearer oversight across branches and products. INFOPRO shared its background to build confidence, highlighting decades in banking technology with a strong record of delivery across many countries, and this experience matters when turning plans into working systems because a stable partner reduces risk during change and keeps projects on schedule.
Desmond framed AI in Islamic finance in practical terms, with examples of toolkit that supports better decisions with less bias and more evidence, as machine learning helps with fairer risk checks using broader data points, predictive analytics forecasts demand and flags fraud patterns earlier, and natural language processing reads long policies or regulatory texts and turns them into rules that systems can apply consistently. When these tools sit inside Islamic core banking, they speed up everyday work, reduce human error, and make outcomes easier to explain to auditors, customers, and internal reviewers.
Three clear statements from the speaker stood out and signal opportunity for the industry: “AI is a strategic imperative, as it helps Islamic banks scale compliance, improve speed, and serve people better,” “You do not need a perfect data lake to start, because building a small, reliable data set for one use case is enough to prove value and learn,” and “Buy less, integrate more, and test on real data with a shared success metric before you scale.” These points encourage teams to move forward with focus and discipline, so progress becomes visible, and trust grows with each release.
Desmond closed with a practical roadmap that banks can begin immediately
- Choose one priority area in Islamic core banking, such as Shariah compliance automation or onboarding.
- Build a small, reliable data set and define success in simple terms.
- Run a short proof of value with shared metrics.
- Connect wins across front, middle, and back office insights flow.
- Create collaboration frameworks with scholars and regulators.
- Invest in cybersecurity, explainable models, and continuous monitoring.
- Educate customers on how AI supports decisions and protects data as a matter of trust.
The takeaway is clear. Islamic core banking can move faster without losing its values. AI in Islamic finance can widen access and reduce uncertainty. Shariah compliance automation can save time and raise consistency. With a modular platform and a prove-then-scale mindset, banks can modernize at a sustainable pace, ensuring they are equipped for future-ready growth while steadfastly upholding the principles of Shariah.
To view the complete recorded webinar, click here.