How advanced can artificial intelligence (AI) be in improving businesses in the future? Let’s say, in 2050, when you will get on your favorite social media app, would you be able to contact a service provider the same way as you do today, or will there be some advancements? Or some other technology might replace it soon?
Questions like these are not some possessive dining room talk anymore. Experts are actually jotting down pointers to predict the trends and importance of artificial intelligence in the near future, and to understand it all, we need to have the complete picture.
What Even Is Artificial Intelligence?
We have heard and seen how revolutionary AI has proved for business analyses. But, what even is artificial intelligence? If we look at what IBM calls it, it is all about utilizing computer resources to identify and solve problems. It is the science of making machines “sentient” enough to realize their surroundings and act on them as a response. In fact, it is a struggle to develop “sentient” computer programs to do all that.
With the modern advancements in technology, we can predict that today’s AI will be better equipped to handle complex tasks in 30 to 50 years. It means that there are chances that some great AI companies will try to get as close as possible to mirroring or replacing human intellect in some way.
How different will that AI be from the AI we use today? Will we redefine the term then? To understand the role of modern AI in business communication in the years to come, we need to assess how far AI can go.
Artificial Intelligence Measurements
The advancement and human-likeness of an AI can rely on objective data obtained from specific tests. These tests include:
- Turing test
- Cognitive Modeling Approach
- Law of Thought Approach
- Rational Agent Approach
The Turing test determines if the AI can hold a conversation with a human being. We see a fresh wave of innovative steps companies like Google take in business communication models. Their Google Assistant can now answer phone calls and speak on behalf of its phone owner (with consent). It was something unheard of just a couple of years back.
To hold a human-like conversation, an AI must know the language processing with most of its nuances, a pseudo-memory for knowledge and reasoning, and machine learning for identifying patterns and impromptu situation-handling.
Cognitive Modelling tests identify if the AI can withhold tests as a human brain could. They use psychological tests and MRI scans to determine how a human brain works and then ensure the AI behaves the same way or as close to it as possible.
With Laws of Thought and Rational Agent approaches, we are still facing some issues in taming AI. Both these approaches consider AI to follow logical answers to problems. Still, since there is a lack of morality without the entity of “consciousness,” researchers cannot pinpoint an exact solution yet.
Artificial intelligence and Business Communication
When they say that nearly 50% of menial jobs will be replaced by AI, they might have a point, but we still need to implement and perfect existing modules. This piece of statistics is problematic for many people, but it means better quality and performance for businesses. As of writing this blog, we see AI used in business communications in the following ways:
Chatbots
The most significant help AI has done in business communication is introducing chatbots. 1 in every 5 online shoppers prefers to communicate via a chatbot than an actual person.
Facebook chatbots are known for quick responses, guiding features, and memory retention. Not just with Facebook, private businesses and corporations have seen a tremendous response rate once they introduced some form of a chatbot.
KLM Royal Dutch Airline’s Bluebot installation resulted in 1.7 million messages from just 500,000 passengers. Another fantastic example of successful chatbot use is Mindvalley. They increased their lead generation numbers to a 522% all-time high simply by introducing an Instagram chatbot.
Personal Assistant
Who isn’t familiar with Google Assistant, Siri, and Alexa? These sophisticated AI are now available in phones and other smart appliances and can make phone calls, schedule meetings, and organize your calendars for meetings.
AI has done very well in this domain, and we can learn a thing or two from the current trends to predict the future of AI in business communications. AI will radically materialize the future of business meetings and intra-team communications with its integration into everyday operations, resolving conflicts of interest and facilitating employee grievances.
Blockchain
Blockchain is the newest form of data storing and retrieval system. The exciting thing about blockchain is that the database gets constantly updated and stored in multiple locations. Holding the data in various locations prevents data tampering and theft but allows resharing.
Businesses usually spend a great deal of their time and money keeping track of every transaction. It generally involves coordinating teams and departments and checking back and forth between them to ensure all is planned. The introduction of blockchain to such a sluggish system means a sweeping change and speedy record keeping. Not to mention the aspect of security blockchain brings to the table.
Add AI to the mix, and you have an autonomous system that monitors any discrepancy and keeps things in a ledger for tracking much more efficiently than a human could. This Blockchain-AI merger is still in its infancy, but we can expect a lot from it sooner than expected.
AR and VR
“Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR and AR) are the most immersive communications technology to come along since the movies,” says Rachel Henderson, Vice President of Warschawski. “There is a huge opportunity in the non-profit industry because it has the power to persuade — to create strong emotional connections and change attitudes.”
Utilizing AI to monitor and control a virtual world sounds like the premise of a dystopian future, but things are not always grim. Many experts believe that AI can transform businesses and handle client meetings. With powerful mediums such as Meta, we can expect a virtual hangout of avatars in a virtual backdrop, talking and interacting in real-time as though they are in the same room. The possibilities are endless.
Future Trends
The trials to make AI more sentient will yield positive results one day, but till then, we need to make sure that our business communications rely on a mixture of both human and machine outreach. Excellent business communications are a surefire way to success, backed by many studies. So, will they remain relevant in the future? The idea of AI is relatively fresh and has a lot of promising potentials, so the safest bet is to say AI is here to stay.
We currently have just the smallest nook of a potentially gamechanger entity. Bridging the gaps between artificial intelligence and logical reasoning is how to achieve effective communication in Nirvana. Maybe it is hidden in an amalgamation of more than one technological advancement; perhaps AI can evolve as a standalone champion. Only time will tell.
