[Report] AI Avatar Recommending Savings Plans... "Never Gets Annoyed No Matter How Many Times You Ask"

Experiencing Virtual Consultation Firsthand at Kookmin Bank AI Experience Zone...

[Asia Economy Reporter Sunmi Park]"Please recommend a savings plan."

At KB Kookmin Bank’s Yeouido new building, the first AI experience zone in the banking sector was unveiled. On the 23rd, when the reporter attempted an AI virtual consultation at the kiosk integrating financial services and AI technology, the avatar of announcer Kim Hyun-wook, acting as the KB Kookmin Bank AI consultant, appeared on the screen and asked, "Are you an office worker?" When the reporter replied "Yes," the response was, "For a 1-year product, I recommend the ‘Naemamdaero Savings,’ and for a 3-year savings plan, I recommend the Office Worker Preferred Savings."

The AI consultant at the kiosk was capable of handling all banking-related consultations such as account opening, subscription, savings and deposits, Individual Retirement Pension (IRP), and loans. Voice and video synthesis, voice recognition, and natural language processing technologies were applied, enabling conversations with the same quality as a real bank teller. The voice delivery was clear. Even when the reporter asked repeatedly about parts that were not well understood, the consultant never showed irritation, providing the advantage of repeated explanations of unfamiliar financial product concepts and clarifying differences between similar financial products.

It would be ideal if one could subscribe to the financial products recommended through AI virtual consultation on the spot, but currently, the service only handles product introduction, comparison, and recommendation, which is somewhat disappointing.

The introduction of AI virtual consultation services in the banking sector is currently at a nascent stage.

Pilot Introduction at Branches This Year, Followed by Expansion

KB Kookmin Bank has been operating the AI experience zone since the 15th and is preparing for branch introduction. Around July this year, the bank plans to sequentially introduce deep learning-based AI consultation kiosks starting with 4 to 5 branches. From November, the plan is to expand deployment mainly to complex, large branches or unmanned branches. The AI kiosks, to be installed next to ticket dispensers, aim to introduce, explain, and recommend financial products tailored to customers’ personal information. However, as it is the initial stage and due to privacy protection issues, the kiosks will initially handle relatively simple tasks such as window guidance and financial product information.

Gu Tae-hoon, head of KB Kookmin Bank’s AI Innovation Center, explained, "The ultimate goal of AI virtual consultation services is banking services utilizing AI technology." He added, "Initially, the focus will be on tasks such as product guidance and comparative explanations, but if applied well, it has the advantage of providing customer consultations even during evenings or holidays when branches are closed." He also noted, "Although consultations via the bank’s application (app) chatbot are possible, there are digitally vulnerable groups who find it difficult to use these services, so deploying AI consultants at branches can also reduce the consultation time of window staff."

Industry experts view the integration of financial services and AI technology as opening endless possibilities for banking service utilization, serving as an alternative to offset the negative effects of branch reductions due to the expansion of non-face-to-face financial services. Gu said, "Just as the AI consultation service was born through cooperation with startups within the KB Innovation Hub, which supports startups, there will be a synergistic effect in the coexistence between the banking sector and technology startups."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.