Voice recording and AI systems have been rapidly evolving, pushed by new and exciting technological advances breaking the boundaries of what we thought was possible in the world of data and marketing. New systems can analyse a business’s customer base with impressive efficiency, collecting information and processing it rapidly. The latest development in AI is introducing the concept of customer profiling – the use of voice data to compile information on an individual’s physical as well as emotional and speech characteristics. While this technology can provide businesses with an impressive array of information to be utilised in marketing and targeted sales, there are both flaws and regulations that businesses must be aware of before launching these systems.
How do voice recording and AI profiling work?
Collaborative approaches to voice recording and AI are usually founded on Conversational AI, Natural Language Processing (NLP), and Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR). Conversational AI is used to provide automated messaging systems, facilitating communication between humans and technology. NLP provides the means to combine machine learning with human language models, which can then be used to improve Conversational AI and the processing of voice data. The translation of data from a verbal format to text and the identification of certain language features can then be provided through ASR. Together, these systems can detect, record, and analyse customer interactions for several purposes, including AI profiling. The information can also be valuable input for machine learning systems, which learn from their recorded history to provide improved algorithms for various purposes.
The system of AI profiling builds on this existing technology. It collects data on the speech characteristics, language features, and behavioural indicators presented by individuals during verbal communication, compiling this information to provide businesses with a comprehensive profile that is unique to each customer. These profiles can include information concerning an individual’s conversational style, previous business interactions, and attitude towards these previous exchanges. If a customer is identified as requiring a more specific customer service experience, they can be connected with a call handler with the appropriate skills to manage their queries or concerns. As a result, companies can increase their potential for sales through more positive and personalised customer interactions, combined with more specific targeted marketing.
What is the risk of existing bias in AI profiling?
Most predictions concerning the future of AI customer profiling include the introduction of AI systems that can identify physical features alongside the qualities mentioned previously. These would include features such as height, weight, gender, or health status. However, there have been clear indications of both gender and racial bias in the current implementation of these measures, with the AI performing more inaccurately for women and non-white individuals. These biases are not intentionally coded into the current software, but are nevertheless proving problematic, and will likely require specific coding and additional research to correct.
Businesses wishing to implement these new forms of AI customer profiling must be aware of the associated risks – these frequently identified biases can lead to the collection of skewed or false data, which will lead to the creation of incorrect customer profiles, and inaccurate analysis of the overall customer base.
This could disrupt the distribution of unique marketing for different customer groups, or even damage business reputation. Therefore, businesses must trail and evaluate their customer profiling to ensure that it maintains the required standards of accuracy, especially while the technology is still under development.
How do you manage the issue of consenting to AI voice technology?
Due to the rapid uptake in the application of voice recording and analysis, there are already various legal restrictions in place concerning the consent of both customers and employees in the use of these technologies. Two primary forms of consent are present in these regulations – one-party and two-party consent. One-party consent only requires one person to be aware of the recording and its purposes. Two-party consent is more commonly required during customer interactions and requires all parties present to the recording to consent and be aware of its use. Usually, recorded customer interactions will be prefaced with a disclaimer stating that calls will be recorded and briefly detailing where the resulting data will be applied. Although some customers may feel that the increased presence of voice recording is invasive, they need to be aware that these recordings are vital in customer safety and security.
What does the rise in voice recordings mean for businesses and customers?
Despite the complexities of consent and potential bias in voice recording and AI, these technologies have the potential to bring significant benefits to both customers and businesses. Through comprehensive customer profiling, businesses can target advertising and marketing at more specific audiences, removing the presence of unnecessary marketing material from customer inboxes that may deter them from purchases. Customer interactions can be personalised to provide positive and productive interactions, improving customer relations and brand image. As any business will know, understanding your customer base and audience is essential to creating effective marketing strategies. Voice recording and AI has the potential to significantly expand a business’s ability to gather and utilise customer data for this purpose. Customers will benefit from more personalised service and the reassurance of recorded interactions improving company compliance with regulations.
Overall, these benefits make the implementation of voice recording and AI a worthwhile investment, as long as businesses are prepared to remain vigilant for biases and maintain the correct regulatory standards.
Check Out The New Martech Cube Podcast. For more such updates follow us on Google News Martech News
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nigel Cannings, Founder of Intelligent Voice
Nigel Cannings is the founder of Intelligent Voice, a company leading the international development of proactive compliance and technology solutions for various forms of media. His experience in both technology and law provides a unique insight into the future of these technologies and the legalities surrounding them.