Will AI Replace the Human Workforce? Myths and Facts about AI Voice Assistants.

Technological disruption and innovation are the terms that introduce us to the world we used to read about in sci-fi literature, but for some people, they set off alarm bells. The future is here, it’s surrounding us with self-driving cars, smart cities and artificial intelligence – our role is to adapt to the changing world and do our best to make it better. It’s plain to see that technology is reshaping education and employment by accelerating its growth and becoming more human-centred, but have you ever wondered what would be an outcome of these processes?

Economic growth has always been connected with automation. Remember Johannes Gutenberg? He invented the printing press around the year 1450 and the Printing Revolution started. Since then, people around the world could communicate more and entered the era of mass media, as we would call it today. This guy automated the whole world and became a legendary innovator. Apart from scribes – who were put out to grass and whom you can meet today thanks to Inkulinati game by a Polish game developer, Yaza Games – people seemed to be quite happy with this change, and all of a sudden it turned out that book-printing automation can make our everyday life so easier!

As time was passing by, our ancestors were experiencing the bright and dark sides of the Industrial Revolution, electrification and so on, aiming at creating economic growth and faster production of goods. When in 1886 Karl Benz patented his Benz Patent-Motorwagen, known as the first modern car, he started a new era both in terms of living standards and automation of work. Companies around the world started to wonder how repeatable processes can be finished, which lead them to the introduction of automatic controls and procedures. The automation we know today means humans working hand-in-hand with robots and it’s time to achieve the next level.

Myths and facts about AI virtual assistants

Changes that affect our daily routine and work are always challenging; with the development of AI and virtual agents, some people may experience fear of losing their jobs. Can artificial intelligence and its outcomes co-exist with workers in harmony or are they rascals waiting for us to get sacked? We’re addressing the most common concerns and resolving doubts.

Artificial intelligence and virtual agents will replace me – MYTH

No, they won’t. Actually, people are necessary for the process of implementation and further development of AI-powered tools. It doesn’t mean that once a solution is ready, you won’t be needed anymore; it’s the opposite – the human workforce can help in other aspects of running a business. You, as a worker, can be delegated to complete other tasks, gain new experience, develop your skills and become a more versatile employee with a thorough understanding of a business line you’re operating. Virtual agents will become your help and you won’t waste your time on repetitive actions related to outbound and inbound calls, but they won’t replace you.

Virtual assistants don’t develop – MYTH

In fact, they do, and it’s their task to become more reliable so that they could understand more complex actions. In order to make it, virtual agents do need human help in learning the way we speak, addressing our needs, and reacting to them properly. When it comes to voice assistants, we can observe a certain pattern that leads to a positive outcome of customer service. If you look behind the scenes, you’ll see data analysis and constant improvement of a virtual agent’s qualifications. In order to expand them, tools like that need human support – it’s a win-win situation, as virtual assistants wouldn’t be able to develop without you.

Some processes can’t be replaced by AI – TRUE

Indeed; despite the fact that automation of customer service projects aims at delegating people to other tasks, the human workforce is absolutely necessary in the whole process. We already know that voice assistants can develop, but only with the help of people overseeing their development. Another thing is that the human-oriented process of sale or customer service should be marked by empathy and the ability to listen to one’s interlocutor, which is why processes like supplementary sales, up-selling or cross-selling can’t be finalized by virtual assistants.

Clients prefer to interact with human support – MYTH

When it comes to filing a complaint, getting necessary information or sending feedback on customer experience, it doesn’t matter to clients if they’re talking with a virtual agent or an assistant of flesh and blood. How come? Well, we live in hurry and our time is priceless, so the speed of customer service and problem-solving is the key factor. If the service is fast and satisfying, we’re happy! What’s more, our implementations have enabled us to come to a conclusion that the level of conversion between human-operated lines and a virtual agent is similar – it means that people can communicate with the latter as long as they’re happy. The icing on the cake is information that voice assistants present the same level of customer service all the time – so, are we happy?

It’s impossible to operate virtual assistants without in-depth development knowledge – MYTH

One of Talkie.AI’s core ideas was to create a user-friendly tool that can be operated by non-technical staff. Drag-and-drop the elements you need and start using a virtual agent in no time. We’ll provide you with a fully functional tool that enables you not only to run A/B tests but also to immediately adjust the conversation flow to your customer’s needs. Talkie.AI’s voice assistants are fully customizable and guarantee the same level of customer experience with no need for any specific tech skills.

Virtual agents are expensive – MYTH

Frankly speaking, one of the main goals of implementing virtual assistants is to optimize a company’s costs. In order to achieve that, an entrepreneur needs to share information regarding their goals, such as the number of scripts or the scope of automation. This data enables Talkie.AI to implement a voice assistant that will address all the company’s needs.

AI virtual agents vs. human workers – who will dominate?

When it comes to a collab between AI and human-operated customer service, we shouldn’t perceive technology as an opponent. Voice assistants were created to make our daily work easier, smoother, and more satisfying. The concept of artificial intelligence working hand-in-hand with people focuses on the constant development of both parties so that people can give their best, which is cooperation, as opposed to domination.

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