INTRODUCTION

Financial inclusion is widely accepted as a positive indicator of progress and economic development. This research argues, however, that while financial inclusion may support short-term growth, its long-term sustainability is less certain. As financial services become increasingly digitized, there has been a sharp rise in online scams, unconscionable lending practices, and consumer debt traps. These challenges are often exacerbated by the use of algorithmic tools and artificial intelligence (AI) that can provide more realistic (deep)fakes and more specific targeting. Nevertheless, AI also holds the potential to be used to confront these threats – enhancing transparency, improving risk assessment for underserved populations, and expanding access to affordable and ethical financial services. Within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, this paper examines the dual role of AI in advancing or undermining equitable financial inclusion. It calls for a more critical and nuanced understanding of AI-driven financial inclusion, with an emphasis on long-term sustainability, ethical safeguards, and inclusive regulatory design.

DISCUSSION

In examining how AI is reshaping financial inclusion, the discussion will engage broader legal domains such as financial regulation, digital ethics, privacy, anti-discrimination and sustainable development governance. The speaker will critically examine how AI technologies are transforming access to financial services, particularly for underserved populations, as well as the legal and regulatory implications of this transformation.  One key concern is how AI-driven financial tools may unintentionally reinforce existing inequalities by relying on biased data sets.

SPEAKER & MODERATOR

Professor Andrew Dahdal, Associate Professor, College of Law, Qatar University

Andrew earned his PhD from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia, and is currently an Associate Professor of Commercial Law at Qatar University. His research focuses on the intersections of law, finance, technology, and sustainability. His most recent book is Digital Currencies and Public Law: History, Constitutionalism and the Revolutionary Nature of Money (Routledge, 2025)

Andrew regularly advises public and private sector stakeholders on legal and regulatory matters involving finance and emerging technologies, and has played a key role in reforming laws related to digital assets in Qatar. He is also Chair of the Commercial Law group at the International Association of Law Schools (IALS), and has taught law in Australia, Europe, and the Middle East. In addition to his academic role, he serves as a lawyer in the Office of General Counsel at Qatar University.

Dr Jon Truby, Visiting Research Associate Professor in AI & Technology Law, Centre for International Law, National University of Singapore

Dr Jon Truby researches AI and technology law at NUS Centre for International Law. He is a highly cited thought leader in AI law, governance and sustainability, currently publishing on cutting-edge fields connecting international law with artificial intelligence, quantum computing and other emerging technologies. He is a Chair of the International Law Association Committee on AI & Technology Law and a member of the CIL Peace Project.

He was recently an Academic Visitor at the Oxford University Institute for Ethics in AI and a Visiting Fellow researching AI law at Newcastle University law school. As a legal academic established in law, policy and social sciences, he has secured and delivered on several million dollars in research grants in his field resulting in high-impact outputs. His research on emerging technology was presented at a panel at the United Nations General Assembly, and he has served a number of AI policy and advisory committees including the UNESCO Group of Friends on the Ethics of AI.