TECHNOLOGY
Automatic sale ?
AS MESSAGING BECOMES MORE MAINSTREAM , CHATBOTS MIGHT BE A FASTER WAY TO FIND NEW BUSINESS .
Contributed BY JULIANA SHALLCROSS
A few months ago , Google unveiled Duplex , a new “ conversational assistant ” powered by artificial intelligence . Duplex ’ s main functions are to make reservations and appointments , since we are clearly too busy ( or too lazy ) to do it on our own . Instead of asking Siri or Alexa to call the hair salon , Duplex can speak with the receptionist on your behalf . It even mimics the way we humans say “ umm ” and “ mmm-hmm .”
While ethical and legal aspects still need to be sorted out ( should stores be told they are talking to a computer ? Can Duplex be allowed to record the call ?), the product is a clear indicator that computers will do more of our mundane tasks in the future . Duplex ’ s emergence also speaks to the great strides made with artificial intelligence ( AI ) and natural language processing ( NLP ).
Messaging is becoming more acceptable , easier and familiar , and apps like Facebook Messenger , Slack , WeChat and WhatsApp have more than 5 billion monthly users worldwide , according to July 2017 research from HubSpot . Mercure Hotels ’ Bot , via Facebook Messenger , offers guests insights on the local area , as does Hotel Indigo ’ s Neighborhood Host ( currently only available in Asia ), while Aloft Hotel ’ s ChatBotlr texting service handles service requests for guests . Even online travel agencies like Booking . com use chatbots to answer guests ’ post-booking
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