No abstract

Due to the necessity of using technology in the most of banking and financial services, the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) has become one of the key drivers for financial institutions’ success. Financial institutions including banks implement AI based systems for the aim of meeting the needs of their clients. Although developing economies are bit slower in such adoption, however, they are still making their efforts. The current paper sheds the light on the role of AI in the enhancement of banking sector by exploring how AI based systems contribute in enhancing banking services and developing the trust of clients towards these services, so that developing economies could also adopt such advancements confidently. Consequently, after studying the Jordanian banking system through primary data, incorporating banking employees and clients, the study revealed that AI based systems conduct a central role in enhancing effective risk management, creating convenience, reducing costs and improving clients’ trust towards banking services. Moreover, the study induced that developing countries like Jordan should adopt and implement AI based systems in banking operations and services so that their banking sectors could play a more constructive part of their economies.

The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the biggest challenges facing global economies in the twenty-first century. Although a few sectors have benefited from it, the majority of companies in all sectors have been affected. This research came to test the moderating effect of the reserves of the firms on the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and the performance of firms (financial and non-financial performance). The study adopted a questionnaire survey to collect the data. The questionnaires were sent online to the top management of the firms listed on the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE). The results showed that the pandemic of COVID-19 damages the financial and non-financial performance of the firms in all sectors listed on the Amman Stock Exchange in Jordan. But the reserves of the firms have a positive effect on reducing the negative effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the firms’ performance (financial and non-financial). Thus, this research recommends that the government must involve the firms listed on the Amman Stock Exchange in its palliatives programmes or stimulus packages to maintain the companies in the private sector in operation after the pandemic. In addition, the firms must take their reserves seriously and increase them.