AI Restructuring the Banking Industry - Part 1: Digitizing Personal Services

Lesson 1: Digitalizing personal services

Artificial intelligence is “quietly” redefining the way customers interact with banks. From virtual assistants, biometric call centers, to automated transactions, Vietnamese banks are entering a phase of digitalizing services with personalization at the center of their strategy.

Customer support

At the recently held Banking Digital Transformation 2025 event, a series of banks demonstrated AI applications associated with user experience, especially in the field of customer care and daily transactions. The clearest picture is the partial replacement of the role of traditional tellers by chatbots, voice recognition switchboards and AI that automatically analyzes customer behavior.

Photo caption — Banks are applying AI to customer care, thereby analyzing and identifying customer behavior. Illustration photo

Vietcombank , the market-leading commercial bank, has deployed the virtual assistant VCB Digibot, which operates 24/7 and is capable of receiving and responding to a variety of requests such as balance inquiries, exchange rates, and promotional programs. After 6 months, VCB Digibot has successfully processed 89% of customer requests, a rate that shows users' readiness for the automated service model.

Not only stopping at text chatbots, LPBank impresses with a keyless switchboard model, using voice biometrics to authenticate users in just 10 seconds. This technology not only helps customers make transactions quickly but also reduces 50% of the pressure on switchboard staff, a remarkable step in reducing operating costs.

Meanwhile, TPBank is leading the way in integrating GenAI technology into the ChatPay product. The Paste to Pay feature allows customers to simply copy a message with payment content, the system will automatically recognize, fill in the necessary information and complete the transaction in less than a minute. This is a typical example of the trend of "hidden technology", converting complex operations into instant experiences.

From an expert perspective, Mr. Luong Ngoc Binh, AI consultant of FPT IS, shared: “AI can now handle 70% of common requests, helping to free up human resources for higher-value operations. This contributes to reshaping the entire customer service chain of banks in the new period.”

Not out of the trend, KienlongBank launched the AI Teller product, a virtual teller on the STM machine operating 24/7, which can guide bill payments and support customers in remote areas. Meanwhile, MSB uses VR technology to simulate the banking interaction journey, from consulting, opening accounts to transactions, all in a digital environment.

Personalize customer behavior

A deeper step in AI is the ability to analyze big data to automatically suggest suitable financial products based on each individual's specific behavior, needs, and circumstances.

Specifically, VPBank integrates AI into its system to monitor fraud, and uses customer data to recommend suitable credit cards, loans, or investment products. According to documents from Lac Viet, banks such as TPBank, BIDV, and MB Bank have also used AI to personalize interactions, shortening credit approval time from many days to a few hours.

According to a report by the State Bank, more than 85% of Vietnamese commercial banks have an AI integration strategy and more than 59% of banking staff are using AI regularly in their work. Notable applications include: Suggesting savings accounts that match spending habits; automatic credit scoring from customer profiles; supporting account opening and borrowing with eKYC combined with AI; warning of transaction fraud via AI machine learning...

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Duc Trung, Principal of Banking University of Ho Chi Minh City, commented: “AI is no longer a mere tool but has become a strategic factor in product personalization, business model innovation and competitiveness enhancement.”

In the young customer segment, Vikki Bank develops an intuitive and easy-to-use online deposit or withdrawal interface, targeting users who prefer “one-touch” services. Meanwhile, Nam A Bank promotes cross-border payments using QR, helping business or tourist customers easily access banking services in many Southeast Asian countries.

According to statistics from international reports, AI can help banks save up to 25 - 30% of operating costs, while increasing customer retention rates by nearly 80% if services are effectively personalized.

It can be seen that AI technology is quietly redefining the banking experience: faster, more accurate and more personalized. In a digital financial world, the difference will not come from who has more transaction points but from who understands customers better, and AI is the tool for banks to become smart companions of users.

Lesson 2: Optimizing operations and management

Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/chuyen-doi-so/ai-tai-cau-truc-nganh-ngan-hang-bai-1-so-hoa-dich-vu-ca-nhan/20250620075205249