What is the Conversational Analyst role?

The Conversational Analyst role is a new role that will be critical to all companies wanting to move into Conversational AI. It’s not the same as the roles we’ve been familiar with in traditional software, and just like the UI/UX Designer has become a recognised role within Agile teams, Conversational Design needs to be recognised as a specialist role needing a very specific set of skills and attitudes. We believe that the Conversational Analyst is the differentiating factor, regardless of the AI technology you are using behind the scenes, between a good and a bad bot experience. Read More...


Which tasks should you consider automating with a Conversational AI system?

When people think about conversational AI, they often imagine a simple back and forth exchange of dialogue with a chatbot. A human explains their inquiry to a bot, and the bot responds with relevant information and perhaps some pleasant conversation. That might be enough for a Loebner prize project, but in the case of large organizations most users aren’t arriving at a website looking for just a chat. They are trying to achieve something, and this AI experience is going to need to form a useful part of getting them to that goal. Read More...


ICS Heart of AI report: don't force the customer, let them choose AI

I am frequently asked to contribute to publications or to speak at events, for example the Institute of Customer Service “Heart of AI” report, published on 17th July this year. This is a good state-of-the-nation type AI overview report, diving deeper into 1000 consumer and 1000 employee views on AI, from a customer service viewpoint (108 pages, £500, enquiries@icsmail.co.uk) or you can get the 14 page executive summary via Capita, one of the four main sponsors, for free here. Read More...


How can we convince customers to trust our AI Employees?

I was delighted to speak in Vilnius at the login.ltconference on June 8th about how we can help end users trust AI systems. My talk covered three key questions I hear often in my conversations with business leader on AI: With AI technology at a position where it’s ready to take on user’s tasks, how do we convince those users they want to talk to a virtual employee? How do they come to trust that technology and choose that experience in the future? Read More...