About Brandon Fairweather
Strategy and Design Executive, Synthesis Software Technologies
Brandon is the Strategy and Design Executive for Synthesis, with over 20 years in the industry including 11 years in London. A strategic thinker who loves to connect the dots between business, customers, and technology teams.
Brandon believes that while AI is a powerful tool, it's our deep understanding of people, their contexts, needs, and emotions that remains at the heart of creating new solutions. Outside of work you'll find him on the padel court, in the boxing gym, surfing, cheering his kids on from the side of the sports field or enjoying a meal and glass of wine with friends and family.
Talk topic
Designing AI with Purpose: Principles from Abby’s Journey
In this talk, the team shares the behind-the-scenes journey of the Absa Abby AI Assistant. From humble beginnings as a glorified FAQ bot, Abby is transforming into a sophisticated AI agent capable of understanding context, handling complex queries, and delivering real value to customers.
As Abby’s intelligence matured, her capabilities were scaled across channels, culminating in innovations like ChatWallet, a digital wallet built inside WhatsApp that expanded financial accessibility and broke down barriers to traditional banking.
More recently, the team has been actively exploring the power of agentic AI and what it can unlock for customer experience, operational efficiency, and commercial value. Throughout Abby’s evolution, the principles of building trust and the shift of data privacy beyond just a policy into a core part of the customer experience remain central, shaping every design decision.
Co-speakers:
