Amazon Web Services (AWS) has connected the Middle East to its global network with the launch of its Bahrain AWS region. The cloud supplier already has infrastructure in the region, but the launch of the Bahrain AWS region, with three datacentres, will connect to its global network. This will bring the Middle East region up to par with its other global AWS regions as the Middle East accelerates its digital transformation. Andy Jassy, CEO at AWS, said the cloud could unlock digital transformation in the Middle East. "Today, we are launching advanced and secure technology infrastructure that matches the scale of our other AWS regions around the world and are already seeing strong demand in the Middle East for AWS technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, data analytics, IoT [internet of things] and much more," he said.

Emirates NBD will also use AWS data analytics, Internet of Things, Natural Language Processing, alongside other innovative technology as part of its continuing efforts to better engage with clients and simplify banking. A front runner in retail banking creation, Emirates NBD is working with AWS due to its wide and deep portfolio of cloud solutions and the increased security and controls Emirates NBD can reach from the cloud, and is continued to purchase AWS as its preferred supplier for machine learning workloads. With AWS, Emirates NBD will take additional advantage of AWS artificial intelligence and system learning solutions including Amazon SageMaker, a totally managed machine learning service for construction, training, and deploying system learning models to provide pertinent real-time banking experiences. To create a more profitable and customer centric banking expertise, Emirates NBD can also be leveraging Amazon Personalize, an AWS system learning service which allows the evolution of personalized recommendations to establish new personalized retail banking software. Among the first of those software is a personal finance manager which uses an automated, self learning system to deliver an extremely personalized banking experience to clients so as to predict what each individual client needs as well as match this with the most suitable solution.

Emirates NBD will also utilize AWS data analytics, Internet of Things (IoT), Natural Language Processing (NLP), and other advanced technologies as part of its ongoing efforts to better engage with customers and simplify banking. A front-runner in retail banking innovation, Emirates NBD is working with AWS because of its broad and deep portfolio of cloud services and the increased security and control Emirates NBD can achieve in the cloud, and is continuing to invest in AWS as its preferred provider for machine learning workloads. With AWS, Emirates NBD will take further advantage of AWS artificial intelligence and machine learning services including Amazon SageMaker, a fully managed machine learning service for building, training, and deploying machine learning models to provide relevant real-time banking experiences. To create a more rewarding and customer-centric banking experience, Emirates NBD is also leveraging Amazon Personalize, an AWS machine learning service that enables the development of individualized recommendations to launch new personalized retail banking applications. One of the first of these applications is a personal finance manager that uses an automated, self-learning system to deliver a highly personalized banking experience to customers in order to predict what each individual customer needs and match this with the most appropriate solution. To support this work, Emirates NBD is using Amazon Polly, a cloud service that uses advanced deep learning technologies to convert written content into human-like speech, in its automated call center to further enhance customer interactions by delivering lifelike voice banking experiences.

Sameer is overjoyed when his daughter gets admission to a dream university. However, he realises that he has to arrange a fairly large amount of funds quickly. Sameer browses his bank's website aided by a friendly chatbot, calls up the call centre where a virtual assistant arranges for a sales officer to visit him and help apply for a loan on a tablet, and obtain immediate approvals based on an automated credit scoring system. All of Sameer's banking interactions were assisted by Artificial Intelligence (AI) that is empowering banks to make customer lives simpler and easier. AI is not one single application.

Emirates NBD's Pepper, the artificial intelligence (AI) powered humanoid robot, has learnt to speak Arabic as it seeks to help more of the bank's customers. The robot, brought to the UAE by Emirates NBD last year, has been widely popular and will now also cater to the bank's Arabic-speaking customers, a statement said. The bilingual Pepper will continue to interact with customers at the bank's Jumeirah Emirates Towers and Dubai Mall branches and provide assistance with issuing branch queueing tokens, presenting information about products and services in an engaging manner and obtaining customer feedback through a happiness meter. "Pepper has been extremely popular with customers and well received at our branches and promotional events," said Suvo Sarkar, senior executive vice president & group head - Retail Banking & Wealth Management, Emirates NBD. "As a bank that has been at the forefront of digitisation and in bringing innovations to the region, we are pleased to offer our customers the opportunity to interact with Pepper in the language of their choice. Pepper brings in a modern and contemporary aspect to banking, complementing our multi-channel yet personalised banking proposition."

With fintech startups threatening the traditional banking industry, some financial institutions are refusing to play the role of helpless victim by launching their own innovation hubs. However, most of these idea labs aren't found in the U.S. Rather than resign themselves to fate and surrender market share as they are increasingly marginalized by fintech startups, many of the world's leading banks are taking the lead with a proactive strategy: launching their own internal innovation labs. These aren't just hollow corporate initiatives designed to generate some PR buzz. And they go beyond the typical R&D department you might find tucked away in some corner office. They are bona fide programs, with their own slick facilities backed by a real investment -- both money and manpower.

A UAE-based bank is introducing an artificial intelligence robot that will engage with customers by telling them about the products and services. The UAE-based bank Emirates NBD plans to do so in a bid to make banking more convenient. The artificial intelligence (AI) robot called Pepper will make his appearance at the bank's marketing and promotional events in the UAE as well as at select Emirates NBD branches in the near future. Pepper will interact with customers to understand visitation needs and present products and services alternatives in an engaging manner, assisted by the bank's staff. While Pepper will not engage on core banking functions, as the world of artificial intelligence and robots evolves, the bank has announced that it will continue to engage with these technologies to make banking simpler and more convenient.