“Artificial intelligence (AI), the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings. The term is frequently applied to the project of developing systems endowed with the intellectual processes characteristic of humans, such as the ability to reason, discover meaning, generalize, or learn from past experience.
”
In today’s technologically-empowered world, AI systems are actually highly advanced machine learning softwares coupled with extensive behavioural algorithms that adapt themselves to human likes and dislikes.
As a millennial, who has literally been on both sides of the world of AI, I list down five instances of Artificial Intelligence that I witnessed in my life and how it is also help shape Customer Experience:
- Google Allo, a Personal Assistant - Google Allo is an instant messaging mobile application launched by Google on September 21, 2016. It allows users to exchange messages, files, voice notes and images. It also includes a virtual assistant, a feature that generates automatic reply suggestions. I am a forgetful human being by nature and I use this app as my Personal Assistant - to remind me to call my client at the scheduled time, take back my clothes from the washing machine and the birthdays of all my friends.
- GoIbibo, pushing product recommendations - I recently booked my flight tickets for Kolkata in December and ever since GoIbibo has been sending me personalised messages like “Hi Megha, Make your stay in Kolkata in December a memorable one. Choose from over 500+ hotels in Kolkata”. Though I do not need an accomodation in Kolkata but as a customer, I feel good about the fact that someone (in this case an application) is really concerned about my stay.
- Zomato, making recommendations as per customer sentiments - We all know how financially painful a month-end can become for all salaried individuals. Zomato played on this sentiment last month using personalised messages like “Broke towards the end of the month? Don’t worry, 20% off on all orders.” The app was also only recommending restaurants and deals that would be in sync with my ‘broke’ budget.
- Uber, making the right offerings to win the customer back - My friend recently fell ill and had searched for a lot of hospitals and clinics. She had been using Ola instead of Uber for about two months because of her last unpleasant ride experience with Uber. Just after she had recovered, Uber gave her a highly personalised offering - “Enjoy 10 rides with Uber at 75% off”. Skeptical after her last experience, she used Uber to book her cab again and to her surprise, the coupon code was working perfectly fine. Out of curiosity, she tried to use the same coupon code on my phone while booking an Uber ride and we saw the coupon code wouldn’t work. She was surprised and happy at the same time because Uber gave her the coupon when she needed it the most. Uber won back a lost customer using it’s powerful AI.
- Myntra, pushing the right product - Last month I was looking to buy a jacket and I searched for the same on Google and checked a few e-commerce websites for the same. Thereafter, Myntra had been sending personalised messages as notifications - “Megha, check out the best collection of jackets”. I did check the collection of jackets that they had and also ended up buying one!
Artificial Intelligence is shaping all our experiences every single moment and though I have experienced a world without AI, I like this world with AI better!
This article was written by Megha Malpani, Digital Analytics Consultant at Redwood Algorithms.