Maltese-language chatbot to provide customer support for banking and finance

An international collaboration at the Gozo Innovation Hub is developing a conversational chatbot in the Maltese language to be used in the banking, finance and insurance, and investments services sectors.

The strategic partnership in this ground-breaking €3 million AI project will see the advanced chatbot communicating with customers in the financial services sector, providing customer care support in Maltese. The Maltese language version will be the first to be rolled out, with other languages to follow.

“This is the type of investment we want to attract to our shores as we continue pushing for a knowledge-based economy. AI has seamlessly integrated into our daily routines and is increasingly crucial across different industries,” minister for environment and enterprise Miriam Dalli said.

“Simultaneously, Malta Enterprise supports companies in transitioning to digitalisation through research and development initiatives, prioritising sustainability, and fostering continuous innovation. Through Malta Enterprise we are proud to continue supporting companies who invest in research and innovation and use our islands as testbeds for the development of their projects.”

The first prototypes to be developed will primarily operate in the field of financial services, however, such an advanced chatbot can eventually be deployed in other sectors, including public service, tourism, customer services, and other e-commerce services where online channels are available.

The project, titled The New Era of Chatbot, is receiving support from Malta Enterprise under the Research and Development Scheme. It represents a strategic collaboration between Cartesio Ltd and the University of Malta, in partnership with AI and cloud technology enablers Noovle International, who already have a presence in Gozo.

“We are keen to explore new R&D opportunities in Malta in the fields of sustainability, innovation and other smart technologies where we can leverage our capabilities and experience, which can be applied in public services or the private sector,” Valentino Benicchio, Director, Noovle International, said.

Francesca Caruso, director of Cartesio Ltd, said a cornerstone for the success of this project has been the symbiotic relationship between academia and industry.

“Collaborations like this provide our students and researchers to see their research results embedded in a tangible product that can be of service to society. whilst at the same time advancing our research knowledge and capacity,” Dr Claudia Borg, senior lecturer on AI at the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology said. “Our research group is continuously advancing Maltese processing tools and this project provides the right platform to showcase our work.”