Ask AI
IMAGINATIVE INTELLIGENCE
Generative AI is prompting an ecosystem reset. New tools are turning into co-creators for consumers, influencing their decisions and changing their expectations of brand engagement.
This technology will become more deeply woven into our daily lives, so businesses need to leverage generative AI to improve personalisation and enrich the customer experience.
Chatbot creations
Generative AI has taken the world by storm. ChatGPT reached 100 million users within two months of launch, becoming one of the fastest-growing consumer applications in history. A flood of other apps that lean on the same large language models (LLMs) quickly followed.
Rapid adoption can be attributed to the accessible nature of these platforms. Consumers can produce a plethora of content, from creative writing to music and art, with little technical expertise. Advanced algorithms and LLMs combined with simple interfaces are placing the power of machine learning in their hands.
People are using these tools to draft resumes, develop recipes, plan trips and make avatars—among other tasks. Productivity and creativity tend to be the main drivers of use thus far, but new applications continue to pop up. As consumers keep testing the capabilities of this technology, they’ll expect brands to do the same.
The Ask AI trend is all about ongoing experimentation and shifting consumer expectations of generative AI solutions.
Take chatbots and voice assistants, for example. More than 40% of consumers would be comfortable with voice assistants offering personalised recommendations, but less than one-fifth felt the same about using bots to answer complex customer service questions. Generative AI could enhance or refine these functionalities, resulting in a better user experience.
of consumers used technology to improve their daily lives in 2023
Source: Euromonitor International Voice of the Consumer: Lifestyles Survey, fielded January/February 2023 (n=40,691)
of consumers would be comfortable with voice assistants providing personalised product information and suggested products
Source: Euromonitor International Voice of the Consumer: Digital Survey, fielded March/April 2023 (n=20,079)
of consumers would be comfortable using a bot to resolve complex customer service questions
Source: Euromonitor International Voice of the Consumer: Digital Survey, fielded March/April 2023 (n=20,079)
of professionals said their company plans to invest in generative AI over the next five years
Source: Euromonitor International Voice of the Industry: Digital Survey, fielded August/September 2023 (n=198)
Innovate and automate
The Ask AI trend could give your brand a competitive advantage, if these tools are used effectively—both for internal purposes and customer engagement.
Generative AI solutions support the innovation process, which could accelerate go-to-market strategies. Content creation and ideation can be achieved at speed for faster delivery. And businesses that leverage the capabilities of this technology can synthesise user data to guide new product development. Plus, integrating customer inputs will help companies customise marketing campaigns, merchandise and services at scale.
You can also improve search functionality, product discovery and personalisation. Using generative AI integrations to capture an enhanced level of customer insight, you can build unique user experiences. For example, create smarter virtual assistants that curate responses to individual queries, so shoppers can immediately find what they need.
The potential impact of this technology cannot be ignored, and companies that prioritised Authentic Automation are ahead of the curve. But governance remains a grey area. You need to understand the implications of generative AI and establish clear standards for responsible implementation in your organisation.
How Companies Expect Generative AI to Improve Customer Experiences
% of professionals
Analyse customer data to create more intelligent shopping suggestions
Create more targeted marketing campaigns based on consumer data
Build customer service chatbots that can mimic human interactions
Create, optimise and improve product page images and copy
Integrate into travel planning or shopping
Source: Euromonitor International Voice of the Industry: Digital Survey, fielded August/September 2023 (n= 169)
ASK AI Trend applications to consider
Carrefour
French retailer Carrefour integrated OpenAI technologies to launch a new online shopping assistant called Hopla. Consumers can ask the chatbot for product suggestions within their budget or based on dietary restrictions, for example.
Google rolled out a virtual try-on feature for apparel using generative AI technology. The tool lets US shoppers view how a piece of clothing looks on models with various body types and skin tones.
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola created Coca-Cola Y3000 Zero Sugar with the help of AI. The limited-edition beverage pulled inspiration from human and machine intelligence to develop a unique flavour profile that depicts a utopian future.
Source: The Coca-Cola Company
Myntra
Indian fashion e-commerce giant Myntra introduced MyFashionGPT—a ChatGPT-powered feature—for enhanced product discovery.
Shoppers describe occasions or types of outfits, then MyFashionGPT recommends clothing, accessories and footwear options that match.
ASK AI Three tactics for 2024
Evaluate internal processes to identify opportunities for generative AI technology to improve output.
Adopt these tools to automate and optimise the customer experience like personalised chatbots or ads.
Analyse and leverage user data from generative AI integrations for targeted marketing and new product development.
