AI Is Going Big – Talk To A Real Person

So what’s the big deal with AI? Future predicting is a risky business, particularly when it comes to the world of digital and technology. The latest thing is old hat in the blink of an eye, and sleeping in can mean you missed the revolution. One thing you can hang your hat on, though, is that Artificial Intelligence will continue to penetrate every element of business and the digital world.

Artificial intelligence being developed here in Australia is having some amazing positive impacts. New technology, such as automated insulin dosing, developed at the University of Queensland, recommends insulin dosage based on machine learning and mining medical records of people with diabetes. The breakthrough will allow for better and more accurate treatment than has previously been possible. Advancements in technology such as this demonstrate why AI will continue to have an ever-increasing influence on every aspect of our lives.

Artificial intelligence evolution has been put into hyperdrive ever since the internet became accessible. The need to have lots of people writing code has exposed millions of people to the fundamentals of writing software. Artificial Intelligence always involves the writing of a software program. The more advanced the AI, the more detailed the software will be.

So, how is AI going to affect the digital world? Probably the one we are all familiar with is the chatbot. Many of us would have talked with a chatbot at some point. I can’t speak for everyone, but my experience has been ordinary so far. I have found the experience very inhuman, often the first thing a chatbot says is, “Hey, I’m a chatbot and still learning.” That sort of greeting tells me that you are a robot and can’t possibly help me in any meaningful way; you are even prewarning me that there is a fair chance you’ll be useless.

So the technology is new, and no doubt will get better. Big businesses, universities, banks, and government organisations are all investing in the technology, so we can be confident we will see more of it, and it will get better. The 24/7 ability to provide information and resolution to customers with a series of tailored responses is a far cheaper way to provide customer service than using a real person.

Gartner recently predicted that in two years, as much as 25% of customer service queries in Australia will involve chatbots. It seems that the days of speaking to a real person are slowly becoming a relic of the past.