Tech Inside

Unionbank unveils technological breakthroughs in speech recognition

Through its Artificial Intelligence and Innovation Center of Excellence (AI & Innovation CoE), Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) has strengthened its position as a trailblazer in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DSAI).

In a report, Unionbank has utilized advanced technologies in developing game-changing client solutions. One of these is through speech recognition – which is a way to better interact with the country’s increasingly digital-savvy users and provide them with a better customer experience anchored on financial inclusion. This is in line with its ‘Tech Up Pilipinas’ advocacy.

“With this, the user will have a more convenient journey by using voice as naturally and as efficiently as possible and will surely be confident about being secured,” said Bryan Bramaskara, a Data Scientist from UnionBank’s AI CoE.

Dr. Adrienne Heinrich, UnionBank’s AI & Innovation CoE Head added, “Imagine a future when there will be no need to remember a password, because intrinsic characteristics such as voice or behavior will become the password.”

Image Source: Unsplash

Speech recognition technology employs various voice interaction capabilities such as recognizing the intent of what has been spoken and verifying a speaker’s identity. These capabilities have been harnessed to give customers a more natural experience of seamless interactions with the bank’s services while still providing the needed security level. While most AI modules have English as the base of comprehension, UnionBank’s AI experiments are leading them to incorporate other spoken native languages including Tagalog and Bisaya.

This new technology is set to make interactions between customers and the bank’s touch points frictionless and even more efficient. It could significantly reduce the number of inputs needed for a smoother and less time-consuming experience, and lower the entry barrier for non-tech savvy and underprivileged groups such as persons with poor eyesight.

Plus, through this new technology, UnionBank can also lower the threshold for technology and digital capability while expanding its reach.

UnionBank’s Chief Data and AI Officer Dr. David R. Hardoon remarked, “Highlighting the power of voice technology and how it can further be utilized in different use cases such as customer service and fraud prevention, UnionBank cultivates more natural interactions for clients in general, and financial inclusion for the non-tech savvy and underprivileged groups in particular.”

In early trials for this new technology, UnionBank initially identified that the required features can be integrated with current banking transactions such as paying bills, sending money, checking promos, topping up, updating phone numbers, and even urgently blocking cards when security concerns are raised. The high-tech speaker verification voice biometrics secures the system while allowing users to seamlessly authenticate within seconds.

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Chris Layugan