The automation trend in call centers is moving toward AI solutions that could continue. According to TechSci Research, the worldwide contact center AI industry might reach $3 billion by 2028, up from $2.4 billion in 2022.
A recent poll indicates that 50% of contact centers plan to integrate AI within a year as these companies want to decrease expenses and streamline operations.
Entrepreneur Evie Wang acknowledges this AI trend in call centers, per a TechCrunch report. He urged operators to employ AI-powered voice bots as this strategy can lower operational costs and wait times.
Due to rapid AI breakthroughs, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) CEO K Krithivasan expects AI will drastically reduce call center demand within a year, changing a sector that has historically generated many jobs in Asia, notably in India and the Philippines.
Krithivasan told the Financial Times that generative AI might transform call centers, reducing the number of customer phone calls. He emphasized predictive technologies that can anticipate consumer questions and resolve difficulties, reducing call center use.
AI Begins to Transform Call Centers
Wang co-founded Retell AI, a platform that lets firms use AI-driven voice operators to manage customer questions and appointment scheduling. To ensure efficient and smooth interactions, Retell's agents use speech models and customer service-specific large language models (LLMs).
Retell serves contact center operators and SMBs with significant call volumes, including healthcare firm Ro. Retell's low-code toolset lets customers design bespoke speech agents or incorporate proprietary LLMs.
Retell's early experiments showed promise, but voice realism needed refinement. The platform's low latency and script adherence might change call center dynamics. Given the problems with LLMs, systems such as Retell may not be suitable for sophisticated inquiries.
Despite these obstacles, Retell has a growing client base and $4.53 million in funding from Y Combinator. Wang is also optimistic about Retell, pointing out that LLM and voice synthesis are major accelerators for conversational AI.
Moreover, industry analysts expect Retell to solve technological hurdles and leverage AI capabilities as it refines its solutions.
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Meanwhile, Krithivasan anticipates that AI-enabled chatbots will soon analyze client transaction histories and conduct call center activities. He said this shift may take time, but considerable progress may be expected within a year.
TCS, a Tata Group company and worldwide IT services leader, has invested heavily in generative AI initiatives. By March, the company's pipeline of generative AI projects had doubled to $900 million.
(Photo : FINDLAY KEMBER/AFP via Getty Images)
Indian operators take calls at Quatrro call-centre in Gurgaon on the outskirts of New Delhi on December 5, 2008.
ChatGPT Maker Says AI Development Will Cause More Job Displacements
Policymakers worldwide worry about AI-driven automation replacing white-collar jobs like contact center representatives and software developers.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently expressed worries about AI's influence on the workforce, per a previous TechTimes report. He warned that AI progress may displace rather than supplement jobs, suggesting that the industry will see job eliminations, function changes, and new vocations as artificial intelligence continues to progress.
Altman led OpenAI's ChatGPT big language models, which became popular consumer applications in late 2022. After this accomplishment, tech companies invested heavily in AI and innovated, starting an AI race.
Sam Altman observed that human ambition to enhance capabilities drove the rapid advancement of technology, raising expectations for AI. Moreover, the OpenAI CEO noted the range of opinions on AI system behavior norms, emphasizing the difficulty of creating a uniform AI code of conduct.
AI offers intriguing potential, but Krithivasan advised against overestimating its immediate advantages and insisted on a long-term view. Contrary to Sam Altmant's view, he believes that, as companies gear toward AI adoption, the demand for technological skills will rise worldwide.
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