Kearny Bank is rolling out a virtual assistant chatbot to provide 24/7 information and support via its website. 

Powered by Clinc, a leading provider of conversational artificial intelligence technologies for banking, the new chatbot enables clients to quickly access online information by interacting through either spoken or typed queries, the Fairfield-headquartered bank said in a May 3 press release.

The technology can handle “the majority” of client inquiries, such as: personal or business product offerings, branch and ATM locations, home mortgage loans and refinancing, credit cards and opening accounts, along with dozens of other subjects that would have previously required a phone call or branch visit.

Customers can also pursue varied avenues of inquiry and make multiple requests during a single interaction, according to Kearny.

Kearny Bank Senior Vice President/Director of Digital Banking Janine Specht said, “We’ve always been committed to making the banking process as quick and easy as possible for our clients. By incorporating Clinc’s AI virtual assistant into our website, we make getting understandable answers as simple as current technology allows. And some of our clients have already told us using the chatbot is fun.”

Founded in 2015 by AI and systems research professors at the University of Michigan, Clinc’s best-in-class technology utilizes natural language processing that understands how people really talk, powering exceptional customer experiences.

Jon Newhard, CEO of Clinc, said his Ann Arbor, Mich.-based venture is “very excited about partnering” with the bank.

“The Kearny Bank team clearly recognizes that today’s consumers are increasingly becoming digitally savvy, with a desire to access information when and where they want it. Kearny’s Bank’s virtual assistant is yet another choice for their customers to interact with,” he added.

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 1:16 p.m. ET May 8, 2023, to correct the spelling of Clinc.

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