AI Readiness Ep 26: From Silos to Strategy - A Roadmap for AI readiness in Financial Services

In this episode of the Databricks Diaries, we are joined by Seeta Halder, Head of Data Insights at Nottingham Building Society, to discuss the unglamorous but essential work of AI readiness. Seeta challenges the industry's rush toward AI by reminding us that "you can't be artificially intelligent if you're dumb with data".This episode explores the "Foundation First" approach, detailing why Nottingham Building Society is prioritising a central data repository and high-quality data governance over immediate AI deployment. Seeta explains the cultural and technical shift required to stop departments from working in isolation and move toward a unified data community. We also dive into managing the "AI Nerve", discussing how to address organisational anxiety by positioning AI as a tool for professional evolution and empowerment rather than a replacement for human talent. Finally, Seeta shares how high-integrity data allows specialist lenders to move from reactive services to proactive customer support by truly understanding behavioural data.Whether you are navigating legacy systems or building a modern data stack, Seeta’s insights provide a practical roadmap for achieving genuine AI maturity.