NatWest partners with IBM to enhance customer experience using cutting-edge GenAI technology.

NatWest, in collaboration with IBM, has embarked on an ambitious journey to enhance its customer service through generative AI. The bank’s virtual assistant, Cora, is at the heart of this transformation, leveraging IBM’s AI expertise and Watsonx platform. This initiative marks NatWest as one of the first UK banks to deploy generative AI in a virtual assistant, aiming to offer a more intuitive and accessible digital experience.

The upgraded Cora, dubbed Cora+, is designed to interact more humanely and accessibly, providing personalized support to customers. This digital concierge will now access a broader range of information from secure sources, including detailed insights about products, services, and even career opportunities. This advancement allows customers to engage in more natural, conversational interactions, receiving links to relevant information that can be viewed or bookmarked for future reference.

Wendy Redshaw, the Chief Digital Information Officer at NatWest, emphasizes the bank’s commitment to building trusted, long-term relationships with customers through meaningful engagement. The enhanced capabilities of Cora+, powered by generative AI, aim to make the assistant feel more ‘human’, reinforcing its role as a trusted and reliable digital partner.

This initiative is part of NatWest’s broader Digital X Strategy, focusing on engineering, protection, and operation. Working closely with IBM, NatWest aims to align with the industry’s shift towards digital banking and mindful innovation. This collaboration showcases how financial institutions are increasingly integrating AI into their competitive business strategies, with a focus on customer loyalty and care.