Bankinter has launched a WhatsApp assistant powered by generative artificial intelligence which is now available to anyone who contacts the entity, whether or not they are a client. The tool is integrated into one of the messaging channels most used in Spain and seeks to facilitate the consultation of information about bank products and services in a quick and accessible way.
This new system focuses on offering General information based on public content from the Bankinter website, without carrying out banking transactions or accessing confidential data. With this, the bank reinforces its digital innovation strategy while maintaining a conservative approach to security and privacy.
A WhatsApp assistant open to customers and non-customers
The bank has explained that the WhatsApp assistant is open to both clients and users without a contractual relationship with the entity. Simply write to Bankinter's official numbers on this messaging platform to start interacting with the system, which replaces and expands the previous model based solely on guided menus.
The entity emphasizes that the service works 24 hours a dayThis provides a permanent access point for resolving informational questions about products, services, and general terms and conditions. The aim is to answer common inquiries without relying on traditional office hours or telephone service.
The launch represents an evolution of the WhatsApp channel that Bankinter has been using since 2020, a service that had already become established as via contact key for informational support. According to data provided by the entity, this channel handles more than 70.000 messages per year from individuals and companies, making it a particularly relevant space for user relations.
Until now, the operation of the channel relied mainly on a guided menu of predefined optionsThis limited flexibility in how questions were formulated. With the addition of generative AI, the assistant gains the ability to better understand the user's needs without forcing them to follow so many intermediate steps.
Generative AI to understand natural language
The big change introduced by Bankinter is the possibility for people to be able to ask your questions in natural languageas if they were chatting with a human agent. The assistant interprets the message, contextualizes it, and returns answers tailored to the question asked, reducing friction and waiting times.
The entity indicates that the system offers more accurate, agile and contextualized answersalways based on publicly available information from the corporate website. In other words, it doesn't "invent" its own content or access internal customer databases, but rather relies on what the bank already publishes openly.
Another of its outstanding capabilities is the handling of Inquiries in any languageThis makes the service easier to use for people who are not comfortable communicating in Spanish. This feature can be especially useful for international users, residents of Spain, or companies with operations in several European countries.
The combination of natural language understanding and multilingual support aims to offer a a closer and more intuitive user experience than traditional response systems. At the same time, the bank maintains a strict control over information sources that the assistant uses, limited to its own public content.
Privacy, security, and absence of banking operations
Bankinter has placed special emphasis on the new WhatsApp assistant It does not use users' private data.The system does not access sensitive customer information, such as balances, transactions, or details of contracted products, and is specifically designed to prevent that type of access.
Furthermore, the tool does not allow banking operations through WhatsApp conversations. In other words, you cannot order transfers, purchase products, modify terms, or carry out transactions on accounts or other financial services through this channel.
According to the entity, the project design has been carried out in compliance with the highest safety standardsProtection and robustness against attempts at manipulation or misuse. This includes both the technical architecture and the controls established to ensure that the assistant only responds within the intended framework.
The development has been a joint effort by the area of CRM and the teams for Generative AI Projects, Information Security, Technology Risks and Legal AdviceThis cross-functional collaboration aims to ensure that the solution meets regulatory requirements and the bank's internal policies regarding technology and data protection.
Fit into Bankinter's "AI First" strategy
The implementation of the assistant is part of the strategic program “AI First” Bankinter, led directly by the bank's CEO, Gloria Ortiz. This corporate initiative aims to accelerate the practical application of artificial intelligence in different areas of the bank.
Within this strategy, the objective is increase productivity and efficiency internally, but also to generate tangible value for customers, improving the quality and speed of service. The WhatsApp channel thus becomes one of the most visible showcases of this technological commitment.
The organization presents this project as another step in the improving the digital experience, trying to make the relationship with the bank more accessible, closer and more comfortable, without losing sight of the security requirements characteristic of the financial sector.
The incorporation of generative AI into a channel as widespread as WhatsApp places Bankinter among the banks that They are experimenting with new forms of interaction. in Spain and, by extension, in the European sphere, where the adoption of these systems is beginning to gain traction in the banking business.
Channel evolution and benefits for users
The WhatsApp assistant represents a significant evolution compared to the model Bankinter had been using since 2020, moving from a scheme based on pre-set options for a freer conversation and adapted to people's everyday language. This reduces the feeling of interacting with a rigid system and makes it easier to find the desired information.
For users, one of the main benefits is the speed in resolving frequently asked questions about products, conditions, schedules, requirements or general processes, especially at times when other channels may be saturated or unavailable.
The fact that it is a service Available 24 hours a day and accessible without being a customer It extends its usefulness beyond the bank's current user base. Anyone interested in learning more about the bank's offerings can use the assistant as their first point of contact for information.
All of this occurs without losing sight of the caution inherent in the financial sector, since the system is limited to the public information consultation and does not enter into the realm of operationsAnyone needing to manage their products should continue using the usual channels, such as digital banking, the mobile app, the branch or the telephone.
With this initiative, Bankinter reinforces its position as an entity that Explore the potential of artificial intelligence in customer relationsWhile setting clear limits to avoid security and privacy risks, the result is an assistant designed to inform, streamline, and support, without replacing the bank's transactional channels.
The launch of this WhatsApp assistant with generative AI illustrates how a financial institution can combine Technological innovation, focus on user experience, and regulatory prudence in the same project, using a channel deeply rooted in people's daily lives to offer more accessible information without compromising the data or operations of their clients.
