Credit Risk Prediction Using Explainable AI

Abstract

Despite advancements in machine-learning prediction techniques, the majority of lenders continue to rely on conventional methods for predicting credit defaults, largely due to their lack of transparency and explainability. This reluctance to embrace newer approaches persists as there is a compelling need for credit default prediction models to be explainable. This study introduces credit default prediction models employing several tree-based ensemble methods, with the most effective model, XGBoost, being further utilized to enhance explainability. We implement SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) in ML-based credit scoring models using data from the US-based P2P Lending Platform, Lending Club. Detailed discussions on the results, along with explanations using SHAP values, are also provided. The model explainability generated by Shapely values enables its applicability to a broad spectrum of industry applications.