ING's Philippine leaders advance AI strategy with sustainability focus

ING maintains a clear position that its AI strategy is grounded in responsibility and sustainability.

At the 2026 Asian Banking & Finance and Insurance Asia Summit in Manila, ING leaders shared how the bank is advancing its artificial intelligence (AI) agenda through responsible, sustainable, and scalable innovation. 

Moderating the panel “Data to Decisions: How AI is Reshaping Banking Value Creation,” Jun Palanca, country manager for ING Philippines, guided the discussion as Peter Noordzij, head of wholesale banking technology & shared technology for ING Hubs Philippines.

Meanwhile, Mark John Adora, head of retail technology for ING Hubs Philippines, outlined how ING is leveraging AI to strengthen global banking operations while maintaining a disciplined and ethical framework for adoption.

Balancing Responsible AI with Sustainability
ING maintains a clear position that its AI strategy is grounded in responsibility and sustainability, ensuring that innovation is pursued only where it can deliver meaningful value. Noordzij emphasized that while AI offers enormous potential, it also demands considerable computing power, making selective implementation essential. 

“We start with a clear stance on AI. We are not making every use case an AI solution,” Noordzij said. “AI is not a substitute for human intelligence; it amplifies it.” 

Adora reinforced this philosophy by explaining that ING provisions only the necessary resources for AI workloads, ensuring both cost efficiency and sustainability. 

“We try to do the right sizing, where we provision necessary resources not just for cost but based on our appetite for sustainability,” Adora said.

Building on this disciplined approach, ING directs its AI efforts toward areas where the technology can create the greatest impact. Current efforts include improving team productivity, enhancing KYC processes, strengthening IT operations, and supporting application development to help the bank operate with greater speed and resilience.

Strengthening Trust Through Data Responsibility
With the rise of generative AI solutions, Noordzij underscored ING’s strong safeguards around data privacy and ethical use. “We only use the data where consent is given. We don’t use social media, and we don’t use generative AI for recruitment data,” he noted.

Adora echoed this, emphasizing strict data segregation based on risk appetite, ensuring that sensitive information is handled with the highest levels of protection.

The bank also maintains awareness of geopolitical dynamics in technology. While leveraging industry-leading solutions from global hyperscalers, ING is actively building synergies that allow it to remain strategically independent where needed.

Scaling Innovation Through Shared Global Platforms
A core pillar of ING’s AI strategy is the development of scalable technology platforms. Rather than building solutions separately for each market, ING focuses on centralised platforms that can be reused across the bank’s global network.

“For example, in digital channels, we aim to build just one platform and share that with the rest of the countries,” Adora explained.

This approach not only accelerates implementation but also ensures consistency, resiliency, and long-term scalability.

Shaping the Future of Intelligent Banking in the Philippines
ING’s continued investments in advanced technology, AI talent, and scalable engineering capabilities reinforce its long-term commitment to building resilient financial service, particularly through its growing innovation hub in the Philippines. 

These efforts enable the country to play a pivotal role in ING’s global transformation as the bank develops smarter, more secure, and more efficient systems for the future.