We live in an era in which artificial intelligence (AI) is radically transforming the world of work, offering numerous benefits to those who embrace it. In the work environment, the implementation of AI-powered chatbots can revolutionize the way we handle daily tasks, bringing improvements to our personal workflow and, as a result, a host of benefits for professionals and organizations.
Advantages of chatbots with artificial intelligence
A first aspect to highlight is the 24/7 availability of chatbots, which ensures continuous support for users. This feature results in a faster average response to questions and problems, allowing an uninterrupted workflow to be maintained. In addition, AI can automate repetitive tasks, thus freeing up valuable time that employees can devote to more creative and strategic activities. For example, handling support tickets and answering common queries can be successfully automated using chatbots.
Reduced response time and increased efficiency
The speed with which AI-enabled chats answer frequently asked questions is another positive point, greatly reducing the time employees spend solving common problems. This not only increases the overall efficiency of the organization but also allows professionals to focus on more meaningful tasks. According to a September 2023 Forrester survey, business decision makers believe the main benefits from generative AI are improved productivity (47 percent), increased innovation (44 percent) and improved cost efficiency (41 percent) (Source: Forrester September 2023 Artificial Intelligence Pulse Survey).
Addressing concerns about chatbots with AI
However, it is crucial to address some concerns related to the adoption of AI-powered chatbots. Information security and privacy must be ensured to avoid risks to users and organizations. In addition, fears regarding misinformation, replacement of human workers, and the possibility of incorrect responses from AIs must be handled carefully. Ethical and transparent design of AI-enabled chats plays a key role in overcoming these concerns. Educating users about AI, promoting transparency, and ensuring ethical design help reduce fears and stress associated with using these innovative technologies. In addition, passing laws and regulations on these issues, such as the one recently passed by the European Parliament, can be an effective measure for safer deployment.
The risk of bias
One of the most significant problems in implementing artificial intelligence-based systems, including chatbots, is the risk of bias, including gender bias. Also to address these biases, it is essential to adopt ethical and inclusive design practices from the very beginning of the chatbot development process. This includes critically analyzing training data to identify and mitigate existing biases, diversifying development teams to ensure multiple perspectives, and implementing checks and balances to continuously monitor and correct biases in the system.
A use case in Italtel
Precisely because artificial intelligence is radically transforming the approach to work, as a company we are developing an AI-based chatbot with the goal of optimizing internal workflow.
This chatbot has been trained on a wide range of private company documentation, enabling it to provide accurate and relevant answers to employee questions as if it were an integral part of product support. The main goal is to integrate with traditional documentation, providing quick and intuitive access to the information needed.
Another distinguishing feature is the ability to incorporate not only original documentation during the development of the chatbot, but also to update it, and insert new documents even after release and during its operation. This makes it possible to create new scenarios in which employees themselves can also insert new documents.
Due to the potential of the AI models used, our chatbot can interact with people in either Italian or English, as needed.
Our chatbot does not aim to replace people, but rather to help them work more efficiently. It provides constant support, answering questions and providing assistance when needed, allowing employees to focus on more complex and strategic tasks.
The application contexts of our chatbot
After an initial phase of testing our chatbot within the R&D department, we are now refining its integration into different areas of the company, including engineering and the Managed Services team. Our primary goal is to launch the chatbot for commercial purposes, enriching our range of services and offering tangible added value to our customers. Through its implementation, we aim to provide efficient and personalized solutions, thereby optimizing the overall customer experience.
How to take full advantage of the positive potential
In conclusion, the implementation of AI-powered chatbots within personal workflows offers a number of significant benefits. However, it is essential to address concerns related to security, replacement of human work, accuracy of responses, and risk of bias through ethical design and transparent communication. Only in this way can we fully exploit the positive potential of this technological revolution.
