Jung von Matt Limmat develops AI avatar for PostFinance
PostFinance is using AI to teach financial literacy on Instagram. The virtual character Maria Bernasconi, developed by Jung von Matt Limmat, explains investment and retirement planning topics in simple language—and with a strong Bernese German accent.
Originally a fictitious sample customer on advertising materials, Maria Bernasconi now appears as an AI-generated advisor on the PostFinance Instagram channel. Jung von Matt Limmat has brought Maria to life virtually using AI to make sound financial knowledge accessible to as many people as possible.
Maria Bernasconi knows and answers the most frequent and pressing financial questions. She has been trained with specialist literature and facts. Her answers, which are always up to date, are easy to understand, without financial jargon and without personal preferences for certain forms of investment. The AI is not intended to replace personal advice, but to provide basic knowledge and reduce inhibitions.
Her appearance is also based on an AI model: 1000 images of women from Switzerland were combined to create a face that is as authentic as possible.
On PostFinance's Instagram account, Maria Bernasconi will more or less regularly share knowledge on the topics of investing and pensions, comment on current events in the financial sector and also answer questions from followers.
"Maria Bernasconi is a great example that shows the huge potential that AI opens up in communication," explains Anouk Karrer, Creative Director at Jung von Matt Limmat. "While Maria was previously simply an anonymous, static persona as a fictitious model customer, AI turns her into a dynamic, interacting personality who is able to process and democratize knowledge quickly and always up to date. Namely by making it understandable and easily accessible to as many people as possible."
Cynthia Hofmann, Marketing Manager at PostFinance, points out the limitations of the AI-generated Maria Bernasconi: "What she doesn't have is the experience and knowledge that our advisors apply every day in contact with our customers. That's why Maria is not a replacement for our consulting professionals, but rather a kind of mediator of basic knowledge. As such, she can help break down any barriers that are often perceived as complex."
Customer: PostFinance. Responsible agency: Jung von Matt Limmat. External partners:inside: Nutshell Films, The Old Camp.
