UBS Deploys AI to Streamline Client Advisory Services

After a successful summer pilot, the bank has rolled out a new system that integrates data across its applications. Sabine Magri, head of Personal Banking at UBS Switzerland, notes that the goal is not to replace the human element but to amplify it. The technology handles the heavy lifting—summarizing contact histories, flagging pending items, and tracking financial goals—allowing advisers to enter meetings with a comprehensive, ready-made overview.

This shift extends to the dynamic nature of client conversations. If a discussion pivots from basic savings to complex investments, the system adjusts in real time, pulling relevant transaction data to match the flow of the talk. Despite this automation, Magri maintains a firm boundary: the technology processes data and simplifies workflows, but it does not issue investment advice. Recommendations remain the domain of human experts, ensuring that personal nuances, which raw data often misses, are accounted for in final decisions.

Beyond face-to-face meetings, the bank is digitizing routine tasks like mortgage renewals, which can now be completed in five minutes from home. Meanwhile, its chatbot, now used by 1.8 million clients, provides a seamless handover to human staff when issues escalate, ensuring the client never has to repeat their story. While management reports positive feedback from the initial rollout, they acknowledge that the integration of such systems is an ongoing evolution rather than a one-time upgrade.