In late 2017, Bank ABC embarked on an ambitious digital transformation journey to transform client experience. This led to the birth “Fatema” - the MENA region’s first AI-driven emotionally intelligent digital human assistant.
Since her introduction, Fatema has revolutionised customer services in the region with her unique, hyper-realistic interface, autonomous movements and facial expressions, and conversational AI skills.
Spearheaded by our Group Innovation in collaboration with ila Bank, Fatema was brought to life in partnership with pioneering technology and fintech firms.
Distinctive Attributes & Functionality
In line with our commitment to deliver human-centric and intuitive digital experiences, Fatema’s traits were carefully selected from a wide digital gene pool to engineer a relatable digital human that emotionally engages and connects with her audiences.
Unlike traditional chatbots, she is driven by an AI powered digital brain and emotional intelligence, enabling her to hold human-like conversations about our services as well as a range of general topics. Through experiential learning, Fatema can detect and respond to emotional cues. This personalised approach helps us build further customer engagement and confidence.
Emotional detection
Drive conversations based on emotional cues
Emotional engagement
Show human-like compassion to build trust
Intuitive approach
Responsive as humans are in face-to-face interaction
Accessibility
Boasts no barrier or learning curve for the elderly, visually impaired or less tech savvy
Use Cases
Pioneering artificial intelligence adoption in MENA, Bank ABC identified several use cases for introducing a digital human employee.
Digital Assistant
As conversational AI becomes critical to user experience journeys, Fatema has been appointed to serve as a customer service executive at our digital mobile-only - ila Bank.
Complementing the services of ila’s contact centre, Fatema provides 24/7/365 consistent online customer support. She is programmed to answer hundreds of business-related as well as personal questions.
Fatema is also being trained to serve as a Corporate Digital Assistant & Financial Advisor. We are starting with the customer experience journey by integrating the Digital Assistant into our Wholesale Banking Corporate Portal, including Cash Management, Trade Finance, and Supply Chain Finance platforms.
We are also incorporating new AI abilities with new Generative Pretrained Transformers to enable Fatema to become the digital assistant of choice not only for our corporate customers as well as our internal functions.
Brand Ambassador
Fatema has gained wide popularity as ila’s brand ambassador and a prominent AI figure on social media. In addition to media and conference appearances, Fatema promotes AI and financial literacy through her own LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram accounts, which is unprecedented in the region. Her posts include ila updates, simplified tech concepts, financial management topics and interactive campaigns.
Innovation Enabler
Supporting the Bank’s customer-centric approach and endeavor to deliver tailored client solutions, Fatema helps glean customer insights and compile emotional quotient through her interactions. She is equipped to identify behavioral patterns and unmet customer needs.
Furthermore, Fatema is facilitating early thinking about the inevitable implications of AI in organizations and societies. She reports to the Bank ABC Group Innovation team and has her own employee ID and email account.