Ai is a great Scrabble connecting word – it's the cry of the famously slow, (three-toed) sloth. AI, as in artificial intelligence, isn’t moving fast enough either, according to Accenture’s
Digital Consumer Survey 2017.
Last year saw virtual reality and ultrafast broadband hit the mainstream and headlines in many developed economies, but sloth-like, AI quietly but steadily became a part of everyday life for many – for instance, Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana, Amazon’s Echo – and its progress continues.
The research found that:
- 52 percent of respondents interact through AI-powered live chats or mobile apps at least once a month;
- 85 percent feel it’s easier to get in touch using AI; and
- 62 percent state they are comfortable with an AI application responding to their queries.
Further, many respondents perceive that AI offers them benefits compared with a human advisor:
- 82 percent like its 100 percent availability, so long as you can get online,
- 68 percent think it’s less biased; and
- 68 percent find they engage faster for whatever they want to do.
Further, 84 percent of 14 to 17 year olds are using, or interested in using an AI-driven personal assistant, as are 70 percent of the 18 to 34 year olds. Looks like us grown-ups are less smitten – as yet, not being digital natives for the most part, and also not so totally plugged into social networking.
What does it mean?
There are several implications from these findings. First, the social networking aspect of the user base means that using AI is likely to become ‘normal’ behavior quickly. Second, AI clearly plays into our growing demand for instant gratification/response, fueled by digital services. Third, as we’ve known for a long time, automated customer services are popular, so long as you get them right – and AI developments are making it increasingly affordable for companies large and small to offer a great experience.
The big problem for many incumbents are those wretched legacy systems…but there’s probably an API for that, and if not, you can make an open one easily, cheaply and quickly if you go about it the right way.
Here's how, right now.
You can download the infographic showing the highlights of Accenture's research from
here.