ABN AMRO Bank N.V. is a Dutch bank with headquarters in Amsterdam. ABN AMRO Bank is the third-largest bank in the Netherlands. It was re-established in its current form in 2009, following the acquisition and break-up of the original ABN AMRO by a banking consortium consisting of Royal Bank of Scotland Group, Santander Group and Fortis. ABN AMRO possesses a clear and bold purpose: banking for better for generations to come. The bank’s impact on society and the economy is tremendous, and for our contribution to be both positive and enduring we need to make the right choices. Everything that we do derives from our purpose: now and in the future.
Lotte Koblens
IT Engineer
Lotte Koblens is an IT Engineer at ABN AMRO, working on products that help customers access support and resolve issues more effectively. She began her career as a Frontend Developer trainee, building a strong technical foundation that has shaped her growth as a software engineer.
Over the past two years, Lotte has expanded her expertise across the software stack, evolving into a full-stack developer with a broad understanding of modern product development. Today, her primary focus is on AI agents and conversational AI, where she combines software engineering best practices with the latest advancements in artificial intelligence.
Lotte is particularly interested in how AI-powered systems can enhance customer experiences by helping users solve problems, access information, and receive support more efficiently.
Sam Ferwerda
Senior Full-Stack Developer
Sam Ferwerda is a System Architect and Full-Stack Developer at ABN AMRO, where he works on designing and building scalable digital solutions that enhance customer experiences. With a background in Mathematics and Computational Science from the University of Amsterdam, Sam combines strong analytical thinking with hands-on software engineering expertise. His interests span artificial intelligence, AI agents, evolutionary algorithms, and high-performance computing, with a particular focus on applying advanced technologies to solve real-world problems. Passionate about the intersection of mathematics, programming, and AI, Sam is actively involved in shaping the next generation of intelligent systems within the banking sector.
Gönül Aycı, PhD
AI Engineer
Gönül Aycı, PhD, is an AI Engineer at ABN AMRO, where she develops conversational AI and voice bot solutions that help customers through intelligent, user-centric experiences. She holds a PhD in Computer Engineering with a specialization in Trustworthy AI, focusing on building intelligent systems that are transparent, reliable, and capable of acting responsibly on behalf of users. Before joining the Conversational AI team, Gönül worked as a Data Scientist, designing and deploying machine learning solutions for business-critical applications. She is also an active advocate for AI education and women in technology, regularly sharing practical insights on machine learning and generative AI through her writing, speaking, and community involvement.
Michael Mo
AI Engineer
Michael is a System Architect and AI Engineer at ABN AMRO, where he works on designing and developing solutions for conversational AI applications. With his academic background in Artificial Intelligence, Mathematics and Computer Science, Michael applies his expertise to develop innovative yet robust systems and tooling that support customer digital experiences in the banking sector. He is particularly passionate about building user-friendly solutions that provide value to both customers and employees, ensuring that technology bridges the gap between functionality and ease of use.
14:30 - 16:00
Workshop
Wed, Nov 25
From Predefined Dialogues to Intelligent Customer Service
Like many organizations, ABN AMRO began its conversational journey with fully scripted chatbot flows. But as customer expectations evolved and support scenarios became increasingly complex, traditional rule-based conversations reached their limits.
In this session, Lotte and Sam will share how they successfully transformed their chatbot platform by introducing conversational AI and deploying their first AI agent into production. You'll learn how the team evaluated opportunities, managed risks, overcame implementation challenges, and balanced customer experience with operational requirements.
Through real-world examples and practical lessons, the speakers will reveal how AI now handles 12% of chatbot interactions, helping customers find answers faster and resolve issues more effectively. Attendees will leave with actionable insights for evolving their own customer support journeys—from scripted conversations to intelligent AI-powered assistance.
14:00 - 14:30
Masterclass
Thu, Nov 26
Voice Agent IRL: On-Guard, Real-Time, and Ready to Talk
Go behind the scenes with the ABN AMRO team as they share the journey of building a production-ready GenAI Voice Agent designed for natural, human-like customer conversations. Discover how the GPT Realtime API enables low-latency, speech-to-speech interactions while maintaining flexibility and conversational quality. Learn how the team designed, tested, and refined guardrails to ensure safe and reliable voice experiences without compromising usability. The session will also explore how the Voice Agent is monitored in real time, evaluated offline, and continuously improved based on performance insights and real-world learnings.
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