WPP: Royal Navy's Atlas

In today's competitive talent market, attracting the right people is one of the most significant challenges any organisation faces. For a globally-renowned institution like the Royal Navy, this challenge is mission-critical. The need to find candidates for highly specialised and often lesser-known roles, such as submariners, requires a unique approach that cuts through the noise and delivers a richer, more engaging candidate experience. This is a moment for innovation.

The answer lies not in replacing human recruiters, but in augmenting their expertise with cutting-edge technology. In a groundbreaking partnership, the Royal Navy, WPP's Wavemaker, and Wavemaker’s partner Voxly Digital, have developed Atlas, a real-time, animated AI digital human designed to transform the recruitment journey. This project proves that when used ethically and strategically, AI can become a powerful tool for building better connections, providing a 24/7 resource for candidates and freeing up human teams to focus on what they do best: handling complex, nuanced conversations.

Building on a foundation of success

The journey to Atlas began with WPP's delivery of an AI Virtual Recruitment Guide for the Royal Navy. The success of this initial tool was staggering. It has been used by more than 165,000 people, answering over 460,000 questions and demonstrating deep engagement, with users spending an average of eight minutes in conversation.

The impact on efficiency was immediate and profound. As Rozzi Merrington, who leads Applied Innovation at WPP Media’s Wavemaker in the UK, explains, the AI guide led to a 76% reduction in traffic to live agents, which “freed up [the] real teams to handle the more complex and nuanced conversations.” Satisfaction rates soared to 93% after the introduction of a full Large Language Model (LLM), proving that candidates were not just using the tool but genuinely valued the experience.

Tackling the submariner challenge

With a proven model for success, the next challenge was more specific. As Caroline Scott, who leads CRM and Innovation for the Royal Navy, explains, submariner recruitment is particularly demanding because being a submariner “isn't really something that would probably be on anybody's radar.” The objective was clear: to create a safe space for candidates to ask questions they might otherwise feel are ‘silly questions’ to ask a real person.

This is where Atlas comes in. Developed in collaboration with Voxly Digital, Atlas is a conversational avatar whose image and voice are based on a real, serving submariner. He provides a ‘human’ face for a secretive service, capable of answering specific questions about the recruitment journey with specialist knowledge, any time of day.

For brands with niche roles or complex products, this approach is a game-changer. It is crucial to see AI not just as a chatbot, but as a tireless, expert brand ambassador that can educate potential candidates at scale, ensuring that inbound leads are of a much higher quality.

Ethics and authenticity by design

From the outset, the guiding principle for Atlas was to augment, not replace. “It will never replace our career advisors or that human contact,” explains Caroline Scott, “but it's there to be a guide to help… when it can.” The AI is designed to support candidates when human teams are unavailable, such as out of hours or after events.

Authenticity and trust were paramount.

A human core: The decision to base Atlas on a real, fully consenting submariner was vital. As Caroline notes, “we always want it to be as genuine as we possibly can. That's why we never use actors.”

Inclusivity: The experience was carefully designed and tested with diverse groups to ensure it felt helpful and supportive to all candidates, regardless of age, gender or race, without making assumptions.

Accuracy: The system was built with a ringfenced knowledge base, using a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) system to ensure Atlas can only provide answers from a limited, pre-approved database of content, minimising inaccuracies.

Transparency: The experience is clear that Atlas is an AI avatar, not a real person, and offers users the choice of interacting via voice or text to maximise accessibility.

This ethical framework is not just good practice; it's good business. When deploying AI, brands must prioritise transparency and build tools that are genuinely helpful and inclusive. This is the key to user acceptance and long-term success.

Key strategies for brands

The work between the Royal Navy and Wavemaker offers a clear blueprint for any brand looking to innovate in its field.

Start with the challenge, not the tech: Identify a specific, persistent business problem that AI could solve, rather than implementing technology for its own sake. A clear objective is the foundation of meaningful innovation.

Augment, don't replace: Design AI solutions to handle high-volume, low-complexity tasks. This frees up your human experts for the high-value, nuanced interactions where they truly excel, creating a powerful human-machine partnership.

Prioritise authenticity and trust: Base your AI's knowledge and persona on real expertise. Be transparent with users about the nature of the interaction to build credibility and foster genuine engagement.

Design for inclusivity from day one: Ensure your AI tools are designed and tested with diverse user groups and programmed with neutral, supportive language to provide a positive and accessible experience for everyone.

The Atlas project is more than just a technological first; it is a powerful demonstration of how creativity and technology can combine to solve real-world challenges. It shows that the future of customer and candidate experience lies in the seamless collaboration between human talent and intelligent systems, building better futures for our clients and their communities.