AI Policy
1. Our commitment
iO Finance Partners uses artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to support research, insight generation and operational efficiency within its specialist lending and advisory activities.
iO Finance Partners operates in regulated and relationship driven environments where trust, discretion and sound judgement are essential. AI is used to support human expertise, not replace decision making, and never in ways that compromise confidentiality, fairness or client outcomes.
This policy explains:
How iO Finance Partners uses (and does not use) AI
How client, introducer and counterparty data is protected
Our approach to transparency and responsible use
2. Principles for responsible AI use
iO Finance Partners’ approach to AI is guided by the following principles:
Client and partner interests first
AI is only used where it improves efficiency, clarity or insight without disadvantaging clients or introducers.
Human accountability
All lending decisions, recommendations and relationship management remain human led.
Data protection by design
AI use complies with UK data protection law and iO Finance Partners’ privacy and security obligations.
Proportionate use
AI is applied selectively for support tasks, not as a substitute for credit judgement or professional discretion.
No training on confidential data
Confidential business or personal data is not knowingly used to train public AI models.
Transparency
We are open about how AI supports our work and respect client or partner preferences.
3. How iO Finance Partners may use AI
AI may be used to support internal workflows, including:
Market and sector research
Drafting summaries, outlines or internal documents from non confidential sources
Identifying themes or trends in aggregated or anonymised information
AI outputs are reviewed by experienced professionals and are not treated as final or authoritative without human validation.
4. How iO Finance Partners does not use AI
iO Finance Partners does not use AI to:
Make automated lending or credit decisions
Assess individual borrower suitability or affordability in isolation
Replace relationship based judgement or professional discretion
Process sensitive personal data through unapproved tools
Bypass regulatory, legal or contractual obligations
5. Data protection and confidentiality
iO Finance Partners recognises the data protection risks associated with AI. To mitigate these risks:
Data is processed only in approved systems
Access is limited to those who need it
Public or consumer AI tools are not used for confidential information
Outputs are treated with caution and checked where accuracy is critical
This approach aligns with our Privacy Policy and information security practices.
6. Governance and oversight
Oversight of AI use sits with senior management. AI use cases are reviewed periodically, and any concerns are escalated and addressed.
7. Working with clients and partners
We are open to discussions about AI usage with clients and can align with client or partner policies, and will not use AI in ways that conflict with agreed expectations.
8. Summary
AI is used at iO Finance Partners as a support tool, not a decision maker. Human judgement, data protection and client trust remain central to everything we do.
For further information, please contact your iO Finance Partners representative