The Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) on Thursday launched a new cohort of its CEMSTRAT 1 and CEMSTRAT 2 executive banking certification programmes. The initiative is delivered by the West African Banking Training and Research Centre (COFEB) in partnership with HEC Paris. As part of the launch, COFEB hosted an international online masterclass on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in banking cybersecurity. The session, titled “Artificial Intelligence and Banking Cybersecurity: Operationalizing a Dual Transformation,” was led by Marc Israel, a specialist in digital transformation and cybersecurity and founder of Aetheis, a firm focused on AI applications in Africa. AI adoption accelerates, but risks intensify Israel said AI is becoming a key competitive tool for banks, with growing applications in fraud detection, risk analysis and customer relationship management. However, he warned that the same technologies are being used by cybercriminals to enhance the sophistication of attacks. This is increasing the risk of financial losses linked to security breaches, service disruptions and loss of customer trust. Fernand Aboutou, adviser to the director general of COFEB, said the banking sector is increasingly exposed to cyberattacks due to the value of its assets, the sensitivity of the data it holds and its systemic role in the economy. While AI improves fraud detection and automates incident response, it also equips attackers with more effective tools, raising the success rate of cyber intrusions, he added. The BCEAO and COFEB make one point clear. Digital transformation in banking cannot be pursued without robust cybersecurity frameworks. A pragmatic approach to implementation Israel outlined a step-by-step approach for banks seeking to integrate AI while managing cybersecurity risks. The first step is to assess IT maturity, including identifying vulnerabilities, mapping the attack surface and gaining a clear understanding of data systems. This process needs to be conducted