Bank of Scotland is piloting the use of a virtual assistant to answer common customer queries over the bank's iPhone app.
The AI-based messaging agent has been trained to handle customer questions about account balances and unknown transactions, how to make payments and what to do about lost or stolen cards.
Customers who are speaking to the virtual assistant will be able to pause mid-chat and pick up their their query at any time, without having to start the conversation again. If the automated route fails, the customer will be given the option to transfer to a human customer service agent at any point during the conversation.
Nick Williams, managing director, consumer digital, Bank of Scotland, says: “We are experimenting with how we use artificial intelligence technology to help our customers find the information they want in the simplest and most convenient way possible. This is an exciting first step for us in using AI and messaging technology, and we’re keen to see how our customers like the service.”
The pilot is accessible to 50,000 Bank of Scotland iOS mobile customers.