British bank RBS hires 'digital human' Cora on probation

LONDON (Reuters) - A life-like avatar called Cora is being put through her paces by Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS.L), helping customers with basic queries and giving its digital banking drive a more human face. RBS, which recently axed a quarter of its branches and has announced thousands of job cuts in the past year alone as it reduces costs, will only deploy Cora to NatWest customers if the bank's female avatar passes her probation period. The digital teller, who wears a NatWest branded uniform and has an ear piercing and sparkling teeth, answers simple questions on getting a mortgage or what to do if a customer loses their card. "It could create another way for our customers to bank with us on top of the usual services we offer and be used to help answer questions round the clock, whilst cutting queuing times," Kevin Hanley, director of innovation at NatWest, said. Cora, which is undergoing advanced testing as part of a pilot program at RBS, could even be used to train members of staff, Hanley said on Wednesday.