Business
SNG: Helping South Africans build financial confidence with the help of AI
SNG: Helping South Africans build financial confidence with the help of AI
About this update from Sanlam Maroc
Kelly DriscollMost of us know we should do better with our hard-earned money. But knowing where to start – or admitting what’s holding us back – is often the hardest part. The truth is, real financial confidence starts with clarity (i.e. knowing where you’re going) and, often, clarity starts with conversation. But what might be the impact on our financial health if these critical conversations were gently prodded along by AI?Enter Coach, Sanlam’s intelligent AI-powered financial guide. Available 24/7, Coach helps ordinary South Africans understand their financial habits, strengths and blind spots through simple, human-style conversations. Think of it as a fitness trainer, but for your finances.Coach doesn’t serve generic advice. It gets to know you through your behaviours, challenges and goals, then delivers tailored insights based on your unique money DNA. Coach listens before it responds, learns before it guides, and supports instead of shouting.Whether you’re a disciplined budgeter or a spontaneous spender, Coach helps you understand why you act the way you do and what you can do to improve. Who wouldn’t want that?From breaking money taboos to building financial confidenceIn our previous marketing campaign, The F Word, we invited South Africans to break the taboo around money, knowing that for many, money conversations were simply not a thing growing up (other than parents lamenting their lack of it, right?). And yet, research shows that open financial conversations lead to better financial health. This inspired us to think about how to get the country talking about The F(inances) Word.To spark those conversations, we introduced Money Personalities. Through quick AI-led chats, people could uncover how their mindset shapes their money decisions – whether they’re the Prepared Protector or the Spontaneous Buyer. The insights helped thousands of people take more informed financial action, knowing their financial strengths and weakness, and what they were doing well and what they needed to improve.The ‘why’ behind it all?The ordinary South African doesn’t have access to a financial adviser that can coach them on the journey of financial health, leaving them stumbling about in the dark. Conversely, the ability to use AI to deliver personalised guidance shines light on the potential of a healthy financial tomorrow. In this way, AI is a powerful tool to help h...