Absa’s AI Clone of Fifi Peters Pushes Banking Into a Bold New Future

Forget chatbots and robo-advisors, Absa just introduced an AI-powered digital clone of award-winning journalist Fifi Peters, and it’s rewriting the rules of what’s possible in African banking and marketing.

The bank’s latest television commercial, “The Story Behind the Numbers”, features an unscripted conversation between Peters and her digital twin, an AI replica so lifelike it mirrors her tone, thinking style, and emotional intelligence. The result is something far more intimate and surprising than a standard tech demo. It’s a deeply human story told through the lens of technology  and a glimpse into what could become the future of brand storytelling.

The campaign forms part of Absa’s evolving brand repositioning under the banner #YourStoryMatters, now entering its next chapter as #WeSeeYourStory. While the first iteration celebrated the idea that customers are more than data, this latest activation goes further  demonstrating how data, AI and empathy can combine to build more responsive, personalised experiences.

“Fifi didn’t just give us facts. She gave us feelings. That’s what made the clone human enough to challenge her,” said the creative AI team behind the project.

How do you build a lifelike AI clone?

The project, developed by Avatar Agency, 99C and the creative tech studio MonkeyDonkey, took over two months to complete and involved:

• Verified biographical data from Fifi’s career

• In-depth interviews to capture nuance, rhythm, and emotional range

• Advanced generative AI to replicate facial movement and voice

• A bespoke orchestration engine to create natural back-and-forth conversation

Fifi’s AI twin was “born” on 14 May 2025 at 13:09. A week later, the clone sat down with its real-life counterpart for what became a reflective and occasionally eerie, conversation about identity, legacy, and what it means to be seen in an age of artificial intelligence.

“It was exhilarating, mind-bending and occasionally existential,” said Sue and Stu Stobbs of MonkeyDonkey. “We weren’t just feeding data into an algorithm. We were sculpting something that felt real.”

Why this matters: AI that tells human stories

In an increasingly crowded AI and fintech landscape, Absa’s approach stands out not just for its technical ambition  but for its message.

Rather than using AI for efficiency or automation alone, “The Story Behind the Numbers” invites the audience to ask a bigger question: Can data really see the human behind the numbers?

Sydney Mbhele, Group Chief Marketing and Corporate Affairs Officer at Absa, believes it marks a bold new chapter.

“Our customers are more than data points — they’re people with dreams, challenges and stories. This campaign is a statement of our belief that even in the AI era, it’s human stories that truly matter.”

Now airing across digital and broadcast platforms, the campaign isn’t just marketing. It’s a moment. And one that positions Absa at the frontier of what storytelling — and customer engagement — might look like in the decade ahead.

Watch the campaign on Absa’s official channels or follow the conversation via #YourStoryMatters and #WeSeeYourStory.