Masterclass on Artificial Intelligence in Sustainable Finance
Course Directors:
Dr Julie Bingler, Research Associate in Financial Risk Data Analytics.
Christophe Christiaen, Head of Innovation and Impact, CGFI/Head of Spatial Finance Initiative
About
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a key driver of innovation in sustainable finance, offering new ways to understand the impact of complex global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and social inequality. By enabling faster, more accurate analysis of vast and diverse datasets, AI can help identify sustainability risks, uncover responsible investment opportunities, and enhance corporate accountability in near real-time. From general-purpose tools like ChatGPT to bespoke models tailored to organisation’s workstreams, AI is already being adopted across the private, public, and non-profit sectors.
While AI holds enormous potential for advancing sustainable finance, not all AI applications deliver meaningful value. Understanding the difference between potential and practical impact is essential. For instance, while AI can automate sustainability and financial analyses, it may struggle with poor data quality, lack of transparency, or context-specific nuances, particularly in emerging markets or underserved communities. Similarly, predictive models for climate risk can be powerful decision-support tools, but only when built on robust, inclusive data and interpreted with care.
For public and third sector professionals working at the intersection of finance and sustainability, it is crucial to move beyond buzzwords and critically assess where AI can genuinely add value, and where it may fall short or even introduce new risks. These sectors have a unique responsibility to ensure that AI is used ethically, inclusively, and in alignment with long-term public interest. This masterclass is designed to provide participants with the foundational knowledge and critical perspective needed to navigate this rapidly evolving landscape, and to lead with confidence in a future where data and algorithms increasingly shape how we define and deliver sustainability.
Format
4x sessions of 90 minutes
Online
Dates: 19 January – 22 January 2025
Session 1: A sustainable future with AI
Session 2: AI as companion and enabler in sustainable finance
Session 3: AI for evidence-based policy and decision making in sustainable finance
Session 4: AI-driven risks to sustainability
Fees
- Free
Applications
Places on this course are strictly limited to those who have primary employment in:
- central or local government
- regulatory agencies
- supervisory authorities
- central banks
- multilateral institutions
- non-profit civil society organisations
- registered charities
- philanthropic organisations
Evidence of this may be requested and required.
To apply please complete the application form, for both individual and group bookings. We aim to respond within 10 working days of receipt of the application.
Objectives
This masterclass will:
- Build a solid foundation in AI concepts and capabilities most relevant to sustainable finance, with a focus on understanding the latest state of the art in both technology and real-world applications.
- Equip participants to identify and evaluate AI tools they can use and trust in their professional contexts.
- Enable participants to critically assess the use of AI by companies and financial institutions, differentiating where AI meaningfully contributes to sustainability goals and where it may introduce new risks.
Foster an ethical and reflective approach to AI adoption, helping public and third sector professionals ensure that data-driven innovation aligns with long-term public interest, inclusion, and sustainability.
Masterclass syllabus
Session 1: A sustainable future with AI
Purpose: Establish a shared understanding of core AI technological foundations, capabilities, and opportunities. Explore why AI matters for sustainability and sustainable finance.
Content:
- What is AI?
- Why does AI matter for sustainability?
- What is required for the public and third sector to keep pace with developments and make use of AI where it adds value?
Session 2: AI as companion and enabler in sustainable finance
Purpose: Demonstrate AI capabilities for scaling up and mainstreaming sustainable finance. Understand use cases, risks and limitations of AI applications.
Content:
- AI & corporate disclosures and strategies
- AI & mobilising finance and identifying projects
- AI & financial supervision
- Future outlook and emerging trends
Session 3: AI for evidence-based policy and decision making in sustainable finance
Purpose: Demonstrate AI capabilities for analysing large amounts of sustainability information to support evidence-based policy and decision-making. Understand use cases, different types of modelling, and uncertainties or limitations.
Content:
- Leveraging AI for different types of environmental models
- AI applications for integrating environmental information in policy and decision-making processes
- Limitations and uncertainties in models
- Future outlook and emerging trends in AI and geospatial modelling
Session 4: AI-driven risks to sustainability
Purpose: Introduce wider global concerns associated with the development and deployment of AI and explore different regulatory responses.
Content:
- Overview of governance frameworks and regulation for AI
- Understanding algorithmic bias and implications, transparency and explainability challenges
- Data privacy and security concerns
- Environmental, social and other impacts associated with AI infrastructure
Download Course Brochure
OxSFG was established in 2012 and is a multidisciplinary research centre working to be the world’s best place for research and teaching on sustainable finance and investment. We work globally across asset classes, finance professions, and with different parts of the financial system.