Forget your UAE bank PIN: System recognises your voice

One of UAE’s leading banks will soon offer voice biometrics as a means to authenticate customers and allow them to perform banking transactions via phone or mobile devices more easily and securely.

Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) claims to be the first bank in the world to offer voice biometrics in three languages - Arabic, English and Hindi.

“Our decision to invest in this new technology was primarily driven by the key objective of enhancing the everyday banking experience for our customers” said Arup Mukhopadhyay, Head-Consumer Banking Group of ADCB.

Today, when customers call a bank to access their account, they are asked to prove their identity through a set of complex security questions – what the industry refers to as ‘knowledge-based authentication.’

ADCB says it will simplify this experience using the secure voice biometrics technology to allow customers to simply speak and be taken at their word – no PINs, passwords or probing security questions.

The voice biometrics technology compares the customer’s spoken passphrase to a registered voiceprint. Once matched, it authenticates and permits the customer to proceed with the banking transactions. This is safe, secure and reduces the chances of fraud.

ADCB has partnered with Nuance Communications, Inc. to implement this system for their retail banking operations in the UAE.