Backbase launches Conversational Banking to turn customer conversations into governed banking action
AI agents complete banking requests through voice and text, helping banks scale service while retaining control of actions and customer relationships.
Backbase today announced the general availability of Conversational Banking, bringing agentic AI into banks’ customer and employee experiences. Customers and employees alike can express their needs in natural language, and AI agents translate those requests to banking actions – within permissions, policies and approvals the bank defines.
“The launch advances banking from digital access to governed execution. Customers can simply ask to block and replace a lost card, check a payment or progress a service request in conversation. Agents use customer context and connected banking systems to carry out permitted tasks. When a request requires investigation or human judgment, employees receive the relevant information and an overview of the work the agent has already completed.” – according to the press release.
“Digital banking put the bank in the customer’s pocket. The next step is to let customers say what they need done and have the bank’s agents act on it intelligently. That future has now arrived early: one where agents do the work, and banks stay in control. It completely changes both the customer experience and the economics of serving them.”
Jouk Pleiter, Founder and CEO of Backbase
For banks, the opportunity is to increase service capacity while strengthening the customer relationship. McKinsey & Company estimates that agentic AI could cut banks’ operating costs by 15% to 20%, by automating routine requests and reducing repeated information gathering, freeing employee time for advice, exceptions and complex needs.
“Control and governance is built into execution with Backbase’s Banking OS. Banks determine which information, knowledge and tools agents can access, which actions they can perform and where human approval is required. Any consequential request requires explicit customer confirmation. Records of context, decisions and outcomes ensure auditable oversight.” – the company explained.
Conversational Banking is already running in production at 10+ leading banks, where one of the four largest South African banks has so far supported 22 million customer interactions, while improving self-service containment from 20% to 70%.
“Backbase’s conversational AI has delivered real business value. We’ve seen tangible savings through increased automation and call containment while giving customers a faster and more convenient service experience.”
Gene Fichtenholz, CTO at Meriwest
“Backbase brought all our sources of truth together and gave our employees a single, searchable home for information. They simply ask a question and get the answers they need to support and serve our customers.”
Michael Purifoy, Senior EVP – Chief Treasury and Digital Banking Officer at VeraBank
Conversational Banking runs on Backbase’s AI-native Banking OS and works alongside existing digital banking stacks. Banks can begin with selected use cases, connect the required systems and configure their controls without replacing their online or mobile banking platform.
It provides a practical entry point to Backbase’s Agentic Banking portfolio, alongside Relationship Intelligence, which helps banks anticipate customer needs, and Customer Operations, which coordinates fulfilment across teams and systems. Each offers a distinct starting point toward a Unified Frontline: customers, employees and AI agents working together with shared context and bank-defined authority.
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Backbase built the AI-native Banking OS – the operating system that turns fragmented banking operations into a Unified Frontline. Customers, employees, and AI agents work as one across digital channels, front-office, and operations.
Backbase was founded in 2003 by Jouk Pleiter and is headquartered in Amsterdam, with teams across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Africa and Latin America. 120+ leading banks run on Backbase across Retail, SMB & Commercial, Private Banking, and Wealth Management.
