ASTANA — Freedom Bank Kazakhstan has unveiled a new digital service to make business management easier for local entrepreneurs. The voice-based Freedom AI Assistant, now available in the bank’s application, was officially presented to journalists on Nov. 11.
The voice-based Freedom AI Assistant, now available in the bank’s application, was officially presented to journalists on Nov. 11. Photo credit: Freedom bank’s press service/A.Pachevskiy
The AI assistant can perform 119 commands in both Kazakh and Russian, helping users with tasks such as tax payments, inter-account transfers, loan repayments, payroll, and invoicing. By automating routine operations it saves business owners time and streamlines financial management. Notably, the AI assistant speaks in the voice of Freedom Holding Corp. CEO Timur Turlov, giving the experience a personal and recognizable touch for clients.
The idea of a “seamless experience”
Speaking at the presentation, Member of the Board of Directors at Freedom Bank Kazakhstan Aidos Zhumagulov emphasized that the introduction of AI is part of a long-term digital evolution.
“Artificial intelligence didn’t appear today or yesterday, it has been with us for quite some time. For a digital bank like ours, AI becomes part of the process when you’re truly ready. It depends on several factors: the quality of data, architecture, infrastructure, and experience. When we bought the bank five years ago, it was still a traditional one. The first big challenge was to automate every business process,” Zhumagulov said.
Zhumagulov emphasized that the introduction of AI is part of a long-term digital evolution. Photo credit: Freedom bank’s press service/A.Pachevskiy
According to him, the bank’s transformation from a conventional lender into a digital ecosystem was gradual but deliberate.
“After automation came digitization. That’s how we launched our digital mortgage, car loans, and other products. We’ve now evolved from a digital bank into a full-fledged digital ecosystem: one super app where users can access brokerage, media, telecom, insurance, and more,” he added.
Zhumagulov said the launch of Freedom’s voice assistant marks a new stage in the bank’s digital maturity.
“This year, we’ve matured enough to hand over the wheel to our clients so that they can steer their own digital reality. Of course, we were inspired by ChatGPT and other conversational platforms that help people daily. They’ve bridged the gap between exclusive and inclusive access to information, education, and resources. They can advise, guide, or offer a second opinion, and that inspired us to create our own assistant,” he said.
AI tools for entrepreneurs and small businesses
Through Freedom Business, entrepreneurs can now use voice commands to perform a wide range of financial operations, including transfers and payments, payroll, and invoicing. All processes are powered by AI-driven automation.
In addition, Freedom Business now provides free access to ChatGPT for all individual entrepreneurs in Kazakhstan. This gives small and medium-sized enterprises a powerful tool to optimize workflows, save time, test business hypotheses, build forecasts, and explore new strategies.
Developers note that user engagement with the AI assistant has grown rapidly, and that functionality has expanded in response to user demand.
Advisor to the Chairman of the Management Board of Freedom Bank Ainur Temirkhankyzy said that developing the voice assistant required changing how clients interact with digital banking services.
According to Temirkhankyzy, the top three most popular features during the first month of use were money transfers, detailed balance checks, and investment operations. Photo credit: Freedom bank’s press service/A.Pachevskiy
“For many users, it was a big shift. They were used to tapping a few buttons on their phone. Now, they can simply speak to the assistant and get things done within seconds. It was a challenge to make this experience intuitive and engaging,” she said.
According to Temirkhankyzy, the top three most popular features during the first month of use were money transfers, detailed balance checks, and investment operations.
“Clients are already starting to use the assistant for more advanced, reputation-based banking services. We’re constantly improving responsiveness and intelligence,” she added.
Toward a unified AI ecosystem
Freedom Bank plans to extend AI integration across its digital platforms. The next step will be embedding similar services into the Freedom SuperApp, which combines financial, media, and lifestyle products. By early next year, individual Freedom Bank clients will also gain access to the Freedom AI Assistant and ChatGPT integration, both of which are currently in closed testing.
The new system will allow users not only to perform banking operations but also to buy tickets, purchase insurance, order groceries, and more, all through voice commands. The Freedom AI Assistant is fully hosted within the bank’s secure data centers, ensuring that all client information remains protected.
