Summary
NatWest Group has significantly increased its use of artificial intelligence across its entire business. After a year of testing and building, 2025 marked the first time the bank used these systems at a very large scale. The bank is using AI to help customers with their banking tasks, assist staff with paperwork, and even help engineers write computer code. These changes are designed to make the bank more efficient and provide faster service to millions of users.
Main Impact
The biggest impact of this technology is the massive amount of time it saves for both workers and customers. By using AI to handle repetitive tasks, NatWest has saved tens of thousands of work hours. For example, in the retail banking branch, AI tools that summarize phone calls and draft responses to complaints have saved over 70,000 hours of staff time. This allows employees to focus on solving more complex problems for customers rather than doing manual data entry.
Key Details
What Happened
NatWest expanded its digital assistant, known as Cora, to handle many more types of customer requests. Previously, Cora could only help with four specific types of customer issues. Now, it can handle 21 different types of tasks. The bank is also launching a new "agentic" assistant. This is a more advanced type of AI that can understand natural language and answer specific questions about a person's spending habits or recent transactions directly inside the bank's mobile app.
Important Numbers and Facts
- 60,000 Employees: Every person working at the bank now has access to AI tools like Microsoft Copilot to help with their daily work.
- 12,000 Engineers: The bank’s software team uses AI to write code. Currently, more than one-third of all the bank's computer code is drafted or tested by AI.
- 30% More Time: In the wealth management division, AI summarizes long documents and meeting notes. This gives financial advisors 30% more time to talk directly with their clients.
- 25,000 Customers: A large group of customers will be the first to test the new advanced financial assistant early this year.
Background and Context
To make these AI tools work, NatWest had to change how it stores and manages information. In the past, a bank might keep customer data in many different, separate systems that did not talk to each other. NatWest moved its data to "the cloud" using Amazon Web Services (AWS). This move created a single, unified view of each customer. By organizing their data this way, the bank made it possible for AI models to find information quickly and accurately. This foundation is what allows the digital assistant to answer questions about spending or fraud in real-time.
Public or Industry Reaction
The banking industry is watching NatWest closely because it is one of the first major banks to move AI from the testing phase to everyday use. To ensure this technology is used safely, NatWest created an AI Research Office and a special Code of Conduct for data ethics. They are also working with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which is the group that makes rules for banks in the UK. By participating in the FCA’s AI testing program, NatWest is trying to show that AI can be used in banking without putting customer privacy or money at risk.
What This Means Going Forward
The next step for NatWest is making AI even more human-like. They plan to add "voice-to-voice" features to their apps. This means customers will be able to speak to the AI, and the AI will respond with a natural-sounding voice that understands tone and conversation. This will be especially useful for reporting fraud, where customers are often stressed and need quick, clear help. The bank also plans to use "agentic engineering" more widely. This is a method where AI tools can perform complex tasks on their own, which has already shown a ten-fold increase in productivity in the bank's financial crime units.
Final Take
NatWest is no longer just experimenting with new technology; it has made artificial intelligence a core part of how the bank functions. By saving thousands of hours for staff and providing faster tools for customers, the bank is setting a new standard for the industry. The success of this rollout shows that when a company cleans up its data and trains its staff properly, AI can provide real, measurable benefits to millions of people.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Cora digital assistant help customers?
Cora can now answer questions about your spending patterns and transaction history using natural language. It helps resolve issues faster so you don't always have to wait to speak to a human representative.
Is my data safe when the bank uses AI?
NatWest has created a strict Ethics Code of Conduct and works with government regulators like the FCA to ensure that AI is used safely and that customer information remains protected.
Will AI replace human bank staff?
Currently, the bank is using AI to handle paperwork and summaries. This is intended to give staff more time to talk to customers and handle complex problems that the AI cannot solve on its own.
