Spoken conversations with AI that feel natural are here.
Stilted interactions with AI will soon be a thing of the past — and I think this advancement will be looked back on as a defining moment in the proliferation of AI.
Voice-enabled AI agents are incredibly convincing at mimicking human conversational style — with quick, organic responses, and even the ability to interrupt and be interrupted without missing a beat.
The tech leverages advanced natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) algorithms to understand and respond to human speech, the way a human would. And of course, an agent will improve its understanding and responses over time as it takes in more data.
An example of a voice-enabled AI being deployed right now in Australia is Abi — a physical robot companion designed for use in aged care facilities. Abi is able to remember personal details to interact with aged care residents in real time.
Obviously, social connection can make a big difference for vulnerable people. But it matters to all of us, whether we’re at work or at play.
Close enough to real to revolutionise CX
I’m sure you’ve found yourself in this situation at least once: you’re clicking options on a website chatbot, or listening to a phone menu, or querying Siri — and you’re not getting what you need.
And you think, “I wish I could speak to a real person!”.
Of course, these automated systems were once touted as ‘the future of customer service’. But they’ve always been let down by their inflexibility, a lack of personalisation and accessibility constraints.
Conversational AI enhanced with voice prompting allows for:
- Personalised customer service experiences and tailored support at scale, in a way that hasn’t been economical before now.
- Effortless multi-language communication so people can be understood and advised in their native tongue.
- More satisfying self-service that cuts wait times, increases efficiency and humanises service experiences.
Seamless, hands-free dialogue with a clever and adaptable AI can vastly improve the convenience of shopping and other routine customer experiences, like booking an appointment or updating account settings.
Any industry that depends on a high volume of customer service interactions — like healthcare, retail and finance — is ripe for disruption.
A real turning point for agile and inclusive work
Employees are craving workplaces where they feel empowered and included — with fewer roadblocks to doing their best work.
- Forrester predicts that in 2025, 50% of businesses will prioritise a digital employee experience that enables self-service as the first-contact touchpoint for day-to-day troubleshooting.
- A recent global EY study of people with a disability and/or neurodivergence found that 76% thought using Microsoft 365 Copilot helps them thrive at work, by making it easier to participate, communicate and get stuff done.
