Google is working on virtual assistants to replace call center workers

At the  Cloud Next 2018 conference hosted by Google on 24 July, the company revealed some details about how it is working on an  **artificial intelligence** software that will replace call center workers. The company also revealed in a  blog on that it is working on enhancing the call center experience, by launching a new solution called the ‘Contact Center AI.’ They believe that it has the “potential to elevate every aspect of the customer service experience, from start to finish.” Here’s how it works When a call is placed, a Virtual Assistant greets the caller and answers questions. Google says that it has several mechanisms which help users take actions over the phone. [caption id=“attachment_4815171” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”] Google Cloud Next 2018. Image: Google blog[/caption] Further, when the caller needs to speak with a human representative, for issues that the Virtual Assistant cannot resolve, the call gets transferred to Contact Center AI’s Agent Assist. Contact AI and Duplex may sound the same because they have similar components, but, they have very different technologies and goals. To come up with efficient systems for the Contact Center AI, Google studied the challenges faced by real contact centers every day and found that customers often have simple transactional or informational requests. Fei-Fei Li, Chief Scientist at Google AI, says in the blog that “our true goal is to empower a contact center’s human agents, as well as the customers that rely on them.” The aim is also to result in a flexible solution that is capable of adapting to the needs of every single call and provide a good experience between human and virtual agents. It is supposed to be compliant with Google’s data privacy and governance policies. “Contact Center AI is an example for our passion for bringing AI to every industry all the while elevating the role of human talent,” Li says. “We’re creating technology that’s not just powerful but that’s also trustworthy.” The partners that the Google is working with for the Contact Center AI include Appian, Chatbase, **Cisco** , Five9, Genesys, Mitel, Quantiphi, RingCentral, Twilio, UiPath, Upwire, and Vonage. Google has been working a lot to penetrate our lives and make them easy. Recently, the company teased a **Duplex** advertisement in which the Assistant is seen making a restaurant reservation, and how artificial intelligence can help you get things done over the phone.