The Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) is hosting on May 21, 2025, in Dakar, Senegal, an international Conference on “Artificial Intelligence : Opportunities and challenges for central banks”.

This high-level international conference will bring together some one hundred participants, representing central banks, public authorities, regional and international institutions, regulatory and supervisory authorities and financial sector establishments, as well as researchers from Universities and Research Centers on Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The event takes place in a global context marked by an accelerating process of digitization of economies, which has made economic, monetary and financial interactions more fluid, forcing central banks to adapt in order to better meet these new challenges.

This meeting is a forum for exchanges on the application of AI and related innovations in the banking and financial sector, particularly in relation to the missions of central banks and regulatory organizations. More specifically, it aims to enable participating central banks to draw on diverse and varied experiences to develop and enhance their roadmap for deploying AI in their activities.

This one-day event will cover major themes such as (i) the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence, (ii) Artificial Intelligence and monetary policy, (iii) Artificial Intelligence and financial stability, and (iv) human resources and ethical challenges related to Artificial Intelligence. Finally, a Round Table of invited Central Bank Governors on the theme of “Key lessons learned and outlook” will bring the proceedings to a close.