TLDR: BBVA and the University of Navarra have initiated a pioneering three-year applied research project, ‘Fair Learning,’ aimed at addressing the ethical, technical, and regulatory complexities of responsible AI. The collaboration seeks to ensure fairness, transparency, and privacy in automated decision-making processes.
BBVA and the University of Navarra have embarked on a significant applied research project, titled ‘Fair Learning,’ dedicated to the critical field of responsible Artificial Intelligence. This three-year initiative is designed to confront the primary ethical, technical, and regulatory challenges arising from the increasing automation of decisions that profoundly impact society.
The core objective of the ‘Fair Learning’ project is to ensure that AI systems are developed and deployed with fairness and transparency at their foundation. The multidisciplinary team involved will delve into advanced mathematical and statistical methodologies to identify and correct data biases. Furthermore, the project will integrate philosophical and ethical frameworks directly into the AI model development process and establish a comprehensive set of best practices aligned with international legislation.
The project is a collaborative effort, coordinated by BBVA’s internal Data University and the Institute of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DATAI) at the University of Navarra. It brings together a diverse group of twenty experts, including data scientists from BBVA and academics from the University of Navarra, spanning various disciplines such as engineering, philosophy, medicine, law, and economics.
Their collective work will focus on designing a robust framework for detecting, mitigating, and correcting AI bias, while simultaneously guaranteeing privacy, fairness, and individual autonomy. The team will also be instrumental in defining best practices that comply with current legal and regulatory standards.
Josep Amorós, project coordinator and Senior Manager of Analytics Transformation at BBVA, highlighted the significance of this undertaking, stating, “This is a genuinely groundbreaking project in the financial sector and a further show of BBVA’s commitment to advancing its technological transformation without losing focus on people. AI is already a central pillar of the bank’s transformation and will only gain in prominence over the coming years. Therefore, we must ensure its development adheres to principles of…” (The full quote was truncated in the source, but emphasizes responsible AI development).
This new research project is an extension of an existing, robust partnership between BBVA and the University of Navarra in the realm of data science, which commenced in 2020. Previous collaborations have included a pioneering agreement to train BBVA employees in data science, the creation of a dedicated track for BBVA staff within the official Master’s in Big Data Science, and the promotion of joint industrial PhD programs. To date, this alliance has seen over 90 students graduate from the master’s program, 135 data scientists certified, and 12 PhD students currently enrolled, resulting in 239 specialized BBVA professionals.
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In a related development, the partnership also saw the launch of a Senior Management Program in Generative AI in 2024, which has already provided training to more than 150 BBVA leaders in the strategic application of these advanced technologies.
