WORKING WITH MACHINES
ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY ADOBE STOCK
IS
THERE A ROLE FOR PEOPLE ? THE FUTURE IS TO FOCUS ON WHAT MAKES US HUMAN .
BY DAN SMITLEY
Can we all agree at this point that waiting for the coming revolution of artificial intelligence ( AI ) and machine learning ( ML ) has been a bit exhausting ?
I don ’ t know about you , but I feel like I ’ ve been reading articles about how AI will replace jobs in the contact center space for years , if not decades . A quick search for “ Artificial Intelligence ” on Contact Center Pipeline shows articles going back to 2015 !
If it ’ s going to happen , can it hurry up and just be done ?
50 CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE
I think part of the challenge and confusion surrounding this conversation is the definition of AI .
• Are we talking about IVRs that allow customers to self-select into specific queues ?
• Or maybe it ’ s real-time agent assistance , having the system display suggestions to the agents on how to navigate the call based on natural language processing .
The range of topics that get labeled “ AI ” makes the discussion muddied and confusing , at best .
• It ' s because of this confusion I prefer to simply skip to the end .
THE RANGE OF TOPICS THAT GET LABELED “ AI ” MAKES THE DISCUSSION MUDDIED AND CONFUSING , AT BEST .
• Will the machines take over our jobs ? Yeah , I think so .
• When will it happen ? I don ’ t know . • How will it happen ? I don ’ t know .
• Why will it happen ? I don ’ t know .