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American Express has launched its Facebook Messenger bot

Amex / Messenger

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American Express has launched a Facebook Messenger bot to give customers access to their accounts, Messenger announced in a post today.

Initially announced at the Cannes-Lions Film Festival in June, the bot can tell customers any time a purchase is made with their American Express card, and provide information about past purchases by industry, cost, and other details.

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Things like restaurant recommendations and loyalty program messages may also be sent to Amex bot users. For more on the bot’s capabilities, Amex bot has its own FAQ webpage.

With Amex bot, a user buying an airline ticket to New York would not only receive an alert direct to Messenger confirming their purchase, but they may also receive a reminder that they have complimentary access to an airport lounge, or a recommendation for a nearby business.

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American Express joins a field of financial institutions beginning to offer their customers bots to access their account. Capital One allows customers to pay bills by speaking to Alexa, and Bank of America has plans to launch a Messenger bot, though a company spokesperson declined to share a launch date when VentureBeat asked earlier this week.

Last week, a Forrester report suggested that banks wait 2-3 years before offering customers a bot, while enterprise bot maker Kore urged banks to use bots to attract and retain millennial customers.

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