On Wednesday, VFS Global unveiled an AI-powered chatbot designed to revolutionise customer support for individuals seeking UK visas across 141 countries. This innovative tool leverages Generative AI technology to provide timely, accurate, and easily accessible information, enhancing the visa application experience for travellers worldwide.
VFS Global’s AI visa assistant
The AI-powered chatbot, developed by VFS Global’s AI centres in India, the UAE, and Germany, responds to voice and text commands and offers instant conversational assistance to customers navigating the visa application process.
According to Zubin Karkaria, Founder and CEO of VFS Global, “Technology and innovation have always been the cornerstones of our operations at VFS Global, and we are pleased to launch this AI-powered information solution, which will enhance the visa application experience for our customers travelling to the UK from across the globe”.
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Jen Vidler, Deputy Director of Cross-Cutting Service Operations at UK Visas and Immigration, noted, “The rollout of VFS Global’s AI-powered chatbot demonstrates our continued commitment to ensuring our visa services are accessible, efficient, and meet the needs of all customers. Providing instant access to accurate information about the visa application process will ensure we continue to offer the best service to our customers.”
The chatbot was trained exclusively on publicly available data from VFS Global’s UK visa-related websites. It is built and hosted on VFS Global’s secure IT infrastructure, which prioritises data privacy and security. Ethical AI practices were central to the development process, with VFS Global working closely with the Responsible AI Institute to ensure fairness and minimise bias.
Global reach and impact
The AI-powered chatbot is now available to UK visa customers in numerous countries, including South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya. This technology aims to ease the visa application process, especially in regions where access to information can be challenging. For instance, travellers from African countries will benefit from this Gen-AI bot, which assists with visa applications and provides real-time support.
VFS Global’s AI-powered chatbot is part of a broader strategy to integrate AI and digital technology into visa and consular services. The company is committed to developing various AI-driven products to enhance customer experience and streamline processes for governments and applicants.
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