Human Adaptability Unleashed: 7 Powerful Ways It’s Driving Real BFSI Transformation in India

Gaurav Terdal of SMFG India Credit asserts that AI is fundamentally reshaping BFSI roles, not eliminating them, demanding a new breed of “hybrid professionals.” These individuals must blend deep financial and regulatory knowledge with strong digital fluency—particularly in data interpretation, analytics, and leveraging AI insights. The critical imperative for organizations is continuous upskilling of existing workforces, fostering adaptability and tech curiosity to move beyond “job-ready” to truly “future-ready.” While AI delivers tangible value in areas like credit underwriting, fraud detection, and customer analytics, most institutions are still unlocking its full potential.

Crucially, this tech transformation must be anchored by emotionally intelligent leadership that builds trust through open dialogue, meaningful support, and daily coaching. Employees increasingly prioritize purpose, impactful work, and growth over perks, requiring a culture celebrating contribution and navigating change. Success hinges on balancing technological agility with human stability—recognizing that the adaptable, continuously learning workforce is the irreplaceable fuel powering genuine BFSI transformation. Ultimately, thriving requires a strategic partnership between intelligent tools and intelligently nurtured human judgment and empathy.

Human Adaptability Unleashed: 7 Powerful Ways It’s Driving Real BFSI Transformation in India

Gaurav Terdal, CHRO of SMFG India Credit, cuts through the AI hype with a clear message: the future of India’s booming BFSI sector hinges not just on technology, but on cultivating a workforce defined by adaptability and genuine tech curiosity. As AI rapidly reshapes entry and mid-level roles, automating routine tasks, the real transformation lies in empowering humans to evolve alongside it. 

The Rise of the Hybrid Professional: 

Gone are the days of siloed skills. Terdal observes AI isn’t eliminating jobs wholesale; it’s fundamentally morphing them. “Traditional transactional tasks are giving way,” he notes, “but in their place, we’re seeing the rise of new hybrid roles.” These positions demand a potent blend: 

• Deep Financial & Regulatory Acumen: Foundational understanding of products, risk, and compliance remains non-negotiable. 

• Digital Fluency: Comfort with data interpretation, analytics tools, and leveraging AI-generated insights is paramount. 

• Platform Proficiency: The ability to navigate and operate increasingly sophisticated digital platforms is essential. 

This shift creates roles that are more analytical, technology-driven, and crucially, more human-centric – focusing on interpreting data, designing customer experiences, and making nuanced decisions where AI provides input, not answers. 

Upskilling: The Imperative, Not the Option: 

The critical challenge Terdal identifies isn’t just finding “AI-ready” talent externally, but proactively nurturing and continuously adapting the existing workforce. “Building a workforce that is adaptable, tech-curious, and continuously learning,” he stresses, “will be core to thriving.” 

Companies like SMFG India Credit are moving beyond rhetoric. They’re investing in curated, role-specific learning ecosystems focused on: 

• Digital Literacy: Bridging the foundational gap. 

• Data Analytics: Empowering employees to extract meaning. 

• AI Fundamentals: Demystifying the technology and its practical applications. 

The goal? Moving employees from merely “job-ready” to truly “future-ready,” equipped for opportunities AI itself is creating – roles like data-savvy relationship managers, AI-augmented underwriters, or customer experience designers leveraging automation. 

AI in Action: Beyond Pilots to Value Creation: 

The Indian BFSI sector is moving past experimentation. Terdal highlights significant AI adoption in: 

• Credit Underwriting: Enabling faster, data-driven decisions. 

• Fraud Detection: Identifying anomalies proactively. 

• Customer Service: Enhancing responsiveness and personalization. 

• Risk Management: Sharpening predictive capabilities. 

At SMFG India Credit, exploration extends to predictive collections and deep customer lifecycle analytics. However, Terdal acknowledges a crucial point: most institutions are still only scratching the surface of AI’s potential. The journey requires responsible, inclusive, and compliant integration, paired with effective workforce enablement. 

The Human Anchor in a Tech Storm: 

Amidst this technological upheaval, Terdal emphasizes that the human element is more vital than ever. The core challenge for leaders? Balancing agility with stability in uncertain times. 

Employees seek clarity, growth, and purpose. Organizations face volatility and cost pressures. Sustaining engagement, especially with top talent, demands a “thoughtful blend of empathy and performance focus.” 

Terdal outlines key pillars for this balance: 

• Culture of Trust & Support: Moving beyond structured programs to embed open dialogue, timely feedback, and daily coaching into leadership DNA. 

• Emotionally Intelligent Leadership: Equipping managers not just technically, but with the ability to connect, understand, and respond to individuals. “This human-first leadership approach… makes the difference.” 

• Meaning Over Perks: Purpose, access to leadership, and impactful work increasingly trump superficial benefits. Celebrating contribution and supporting through transitions builds long-term loyalty. 

• Community Enablement: Leveraging informal mentoring and peer support networks as powerful resilience tools. 

The Path Forward: Human Insight + Tech Power 

The transformation of India’s BFSI sector is undeniable. AI is a powerful engine, but Terdal’s insights reveal the irreplaceable fuel is a workforce empowered to learn, adapt, and apply technology with human judgment and empathy. 

For young professionals, the mandate is clear: build that strong foundation in digital skills – data, analytics, AI familiarity – but marry it deeply with business and financial understanding. For organizations, success lies not just in deploying AI, but in fostering cultures of continuous learning and human-centric leadership. The winners will be those who recognize that true transformation is a partnership between intelligent technology and an intelligently nurtured, adaptable human workforce.