Building AI confidence: How Monument empowers colleagues with AI

We've implemented AI tools including ChatGPT Enterprise across Monument and trained every member of our team to use it safely and effectively. The tool is available to colleagues within a clear governance framework, and our training reinforces strict data boundaries, so customer or other confidential information is not entered into the tool.

In an industry where AI talk often outpaces AI action, we chose a different path. We brought in specialists to create structured learning and gave our people the time and space to build real capability with generative AI.

Here's what happened, what we learned, and where we're heading next.

‍

Why we committed to firm-wide AI training

The answer is simple: AI is already changing how banks work, and we want our teams ahead of the curve.

We saw an opportunity to genuinely improve how we work and how we solve problems, so we launched ChatGPT across Monument earlier this year. But access alone doesn't create capability. Without proper training, powerful tools sit unused or are not used to their full power. We needed our people to understand not just how to use AI, but when to use it, where it adds value, and that human judgement still leads.

‍

What the training covered

We partnered with Thread Group to design and deliver a comprehensive AI training programme. Over several focused sessions, every team member learned:

• Core AI concepts and how large language models work

• Practical prompt engineering techniques that deliver better results

• Real use cases across different roles, from client servicing to operations

• How to evaluate AI outputs critically and maintain quality standards

The sessions were hands-on. People worked through real Monument scenarios, tested prompts, shared discoveries, and learned from each other's experiments. We mixed technical explanation with practical application, making sure the learnings stuck.

Thread Group brought valuable external AI expertise. They help our colleagues understand both AI capability and how to deploy it in a regulated environment. That combination mattered.

‍

What impact did the training have?

Teams quickly found practical applications for ChatGPT. Most colleagues now use it daily, finding new use cases and applying their expertise to refine results.

People became more proactive, asking "what if" questions. Could we analyse this data differently? Could we serve clients faster here? The training gave people the confidence to experiment and the skills to do it safely.

We also saw improved collaboration. Teams compared approaches, shared effective prompts, and built knowledge networks around AI use. That kind of peer learning amplifies formal training. The learning kept going long after the sessions ended.  

Perhaps most importantly, our people developed healthy scepticism. They learned to spot AI limitations, challenge weak outputs, and know when human judgement trumps machine suggestions. That's the kind of capability that protects clients and maintains trust.

What our people said

From across the bank, the feedback was very positive.

One team member said that AI helped them get things done faster and free up time to “focus on the big picture”.  Another said that it gave them back “whole hours of thinking, clarity, and calm”.

Several people noted they had started using what they learned outside work too, applying AI techniques to personal projects and everyday tasks. That kind of transfer shows the training delivered real understanding.

"The sessions struck a great balance between theory and practical application. It was useful to both beginners and advanced users. We can now embed and encourage use of AI as a core part of our ways of working across the firm." – Ian Rand, CEO

What comes next

Training was the starting point, not the finish line.

As we embed AI capability into our work, we're building team-specific use cases, creating shared prompt libraries, and continuing to learn as the technology evolves.

We're also exploring where AI can help us serve clients better. Faster responses, clearer explanations, and more personalised service. The training equipped our teams to identify those opportunities and implement them safely.

If you'd like to know more about how Monument approaches innovation and invests in our people, explore our careers page or read more about our culture and values.

‍