BOV has launched a series of judgmental ATMs across Malta and Gozo to make people feel bad when they go to withdraw money.
The bank said it had installed a specially designed judgmental AI system in an initial 10 ATMs to deliver tailor-made petty criticism to customers.
“We wanted our new ATMs to have a Maltese touch, and what is more Maltese than making negative comments that no one asked for?” a BOV spokesperson told Bis-Serjetà.
The main feature of the new ATMs will be a a snide automated voice that makes disparaging remarks when customers attempt to withdraw money. Examples of such comments are: “Your salary isn’t good enough for you to be withdrawing that much”; €10 for a night out? Someone’s getting other people to buy him drinks”; “You checked your balance yesterday. Do you have Alzheimers?”; “Hurry up you tortoise. There are people behind you”; “I know you sometimes cheat on me with Revolut, you slut,” and “Are you seriously trying to deposit a cheque? What is this, 1995?”
On other occasions, the machines will be content to make disapproving noises such as tuts and hums.
While the ATMs will never refuse to dispense money, they will occasionally refuse to let it go for a few minutes, forcing customers to pull it out by force.
“In the coming months, we’ll also be connecting the AI to the bank’s security cameras so it can comment on customers’ appearances too,” the spokesperson added.
Meanwhile, HSBC have announced that, to compete with BOV’s new innovation, it will make an effort to be an even worse bank than it is now.
