How AI is a Game-Changer in Communications

People come into contact with Artificial Intelligence (AI) more often than they realize. When Spotify suggests new music based on “liked” songs or Amazon’s Alexa responds to voice requests, or even when people’s inboxes are spam-free, AI is probably at work. 

AI refers to the programming of a computer or machine that can perform tasks that would usually be done by a human. Through machine learning techniques like natural language processing or predictive analytics, AI allows companies to optimize their operations and yield better results at scale as the program gets smarter.

Leading this wave of digital transformation are China and the US, while Latin America is still in the early stages of AI developments. According to Endeavor Mexico, 63% of companies that develop AI software in Latin America have existed for fewer than six years. 50% of these businesses still only have 1-10 direct employees.

However, AI is already making strides in the communication industry in Latin America and abroad. From chatbots to e-mail filtering services, AI is radically changing the way people and businesses communicate with each other. Here’s an overview of some of the communication channels impacted by AI that improve customer’s experience.

Artificial Intelligence in Voice Services

Cloud-based call centers are making it possible for businesses to manage more customers with smaller and more efficient call centers. Furthermore, the dull and monotonous voices of machines are quickly being replaced with more natural-sounding voices. 

For example, Vozy (Colombia) provides intelligent virtual assistants that can speak in numerous Spanish accents, providing a friendlier conversational experience for customers who need help with simple FAQs or companies who want to share local promotions. Platforms like Interactions.com (US), allow businesses to capture and store vast amounts of data on the cloud, then use that information –such as the caller’s emotional state– to make real-time adjustments to their services. 

AI allows businesses to offer a personalized customer support experience at scale and at a fraction of the cost of on-premise setups. 

Chatbots Backed by Artificial Intelligence

According to HubSpot, 55% of consumers want to communicate with a business using messaging apps. Chatbots are built to simulate a natural human conversation using machine learning and are typically used in customer service, FAQ sections, and online shopping assistance. Customers get to engage with the business as they want and when they want. 

Artificial intelligence decreases the time that customers wait for a response while lowering the workload for businesses by answering simple questions without human interaction so that customer service agents can focus on more complicated requests. IBM estimates that chatbots will reduce customer service costs by 30%. Currently, the most realistic chatbot in the market is Mitsuku (UK), while Latin America offers its own alternatives like Gus Chat (Mexico), Cliengo (Argentina), and Chaty (Peru).

E-mail Filtering with AI

A study conducted by the Radicati Research group found that spam email costs businesses as much as $257B per year from losses in productivity and technical expenses. However, email service providers like Gmail are getting better than ever at detecting spam or promotional content. 

Using techniques like text filtering, service providers are able to detect combinations of words and phrases commonly found in inbound spam emails and separate these messages before they reach an inbox. This technology can also determine if senders are trustworthy using information from users who mark certain emails as spam.

Artificial Intelligence for Automated Content Creation

For many organizations, keeping up with the demands of creating high-quality content can present a huge strain on resources. AI can help reduce the time and costs by producing automated content like press releases, newsletters, and other valuable business publications. 

News agencies like The Associated Press are already applying AI to build full-scale earnings reports and minor league baseball reports. Businesses can also use platforms like Bexi, to save time in creating personalized newsletters and email responses. 

Predictive text analysis

Predictive text tools allow users to type faster while hitting fewer keys and still create high- quality written messages. Some text predictors like the T9 dictionary get “smarter” as the user keeps using it. Other tools, like Grammarly, check grammar and spelling and even help with tone and word variety in a specific text. Written communication is more important than ever as people increasingly communicate through text, email, or social media posts. 

These are just some of the ways in which advances in AI are improving communication between people and businesses. As the realms of possibility for AI continue to expand, Latin America still faces many challenges before it can unleash its full potential, such as finding talent specialized in AI, collecting data to train AI, as well as gaining recognition from clients, and raising funds for AI startups.

Humberto Pertuz is the founder and CEO of Vozy, a Colombian voice communication platform that helps companies communicate with their customers at scale using voice technologies and conversational AI.