# BCBS AI/ML Newsletter (March 2022): Newsletter on artificial intelligence and machine learning

Source: https://www.bankingnewsai.com/ai-regulation/documents/bcbs-newsletter-ai-ml-2022
Last updated: Aug 26, 2026

On 16 March 2022 the Basel Committee published a newsletter summarising its internal discussions on banks' use of artificial intelligence and machine learning. It states that AI/ML can raise operational efficiency and improve risk management but heightens risks around model complexity and interpretability, data quality and bias, cyber and third-party interconnection, and outsourcing accountability. The Committee named three areas for further work: explainability of outcomes, governance and accountability structures, and implications for bank resilience and financial stability.

## At a glance

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Authority | [Basel Committee](https://www.bankingnewsai.com/ai-regulation/basel-committee) |
| Type | Guidance |
| Status | Final |
| Published | Mar 16, 2022 |
| Applies to | Informational for supervisors and internationally active banks; explicitly 'does not constitute new supervisory guidance' |
| Official text | https://www.bis.org/publ/bcbs_nl27.htm |

## Key points

- Issued 'for informational purposes only'; it is the Committee's first and still its only stand-alone AI/ML publication.
- Risk themes: complexity and interpretability of AI/ML models versus traditional approaches; data quality, relevance, security, confidentiality, bias, and ethics; cyber exposure from third-party interconnectivity and cloud.
- Banks remain fully responsible for models developed by third parties, including due diligence and oversight.
- Three priorities for further analysis: explainability and interpretability of outcomes; governance structures defining roles, responsibilities and accountability; implications for individual bank resilience and systemic financial stability.
- Stresses adequate skilled staff across developers, validators, users, and independent auditors.
- Referenced as the Committee's baseline in the May 2024 Digitalisation of finance report.

## What changed for banks

The newsletter created no obligations, but it set the vocabulary (explainability, governance, resilience) that national supervisors in the 28 Basel jurisdictions have since used in AI examinations, and it put on record that model risk management expectations extend to AI/ML and to vendor-built models.

## Use cases it governs

- [Model risk management](https://www.bankingnewsai.com/ai-regulation/by-use-case#model-risk)
- [AI governance (general)](https://www.bankingnewsai.com/ai-regulation/by-use-case#governance-general)
- [Third-party & vendor AI](https://www.bankingnewsai.com/ai-regulation/by-use-case#third-party-vendors)

## FAQ

### Is the 2022 Basel AI/ML newsletter binding guidance?

No. The Committee states it does not constitute new supervisory guidance. It records supervisory observations that member authorities may apply through existing model-risk and operational-risk frameworks.

### What did the Basel Committee say about explainability of AI models?

That AI/ML models are harder to interpret than traditional models, that transparency and explainability need attention, and that explainability of outcomes is one of three areas it would analyse further.

## Related documents

- [BCBS ICT Risk Management Report (June 2026)](https://www.bankingnewsai.com/ai-regulation/documents/bcbs-ict-risk-management-range-of-practices-2026) — Information and communication technology risk management: range of practices (Jun 2, 2026)
- [BCBS 239 Implementation Newsletter (Jan 2026)](https://www.bankingnewsai.com/ai-regulation/documents/bcbs-newsletter-bcbs239-implementation-2026) — Implementation of the Principles for effective risk data aggregation and risk reporting (BCBS 239 Principles) (Jan 6, 2026)
- [BCBS Third-Party Risk Principles (Dec 2025)](https://www.bankingnewsai.com/ai-regulation/documents/bcbs-third-party-risk-principles-2025) — Principles for the sound management of third-party risk (Dec 10, 2025)
- [BCBS Work Programme 2025–26](https://www.bankingnewsai.com/ai-regulation/documents/bcbs-work-programme-2025-26) — Basel Committee work programme and strategic priorities for 2025/26 (Feb 4, 2025)
- [BCBS Digitalisation of finance report (May 2024)](https://www.bankingnewsai.com/ai-regulation/documents/bcbs-digitalisation-of-finance-2024) — Digitalisation of finance (May 16, 2024)
- [BCBS Principles for Operational Resilience (2021)](https://www.bankingnewsai.com/ai-regulation/documents/bcbs-principles-operational-resilience-2021) — Principles for Operational Resilience (Mar 31, 2021)
- [BCBS 239](https://www.bankingnewsai.com/ai-regulation/documents/bcbs-239) — Principles for effective risk data aggregation and risk reporting (Jan 9, 2013)
- [Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 (Digital Omnibus on AI)](https://www.bankingnewsai.com/ai-regulation/documents/eu-digital-omnibus-ai-regulation-2026-1744) — Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 amending Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 as regards the simplification of the implementation of harmonised rules on artificial intelligence (Digital Omnibus on AI) (Jul 24, 2026)

Last reviewed Aug 26, 2026. Cite the official text (https://www.bis.org/publ/bcbs_nl27.htm) for the rule and this page for the summary and dates.

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