If you haven’t read our 2020 predictions paper yet, click here to download it now.
The term, Artificial Intelligence, has been around for decades but its use, both in language and in technology has increased, confidence in its potential has grown in parallel. In 2020 we would expect AI tools like chatbots, voice ordering and, potentially, facial recognition to start taking off.
Chatbots are already being used by businesses that have demonstrated their penchant for trendsetting. Using them it’s easy to do anything from booking a table, to getting answers to questions about a venue, and it can all be processed much faster than through a human server. They help restaurants improve efficiency and guide the customer journey, end-to-end.
When voice ordering was first introduced with brands teaming up with Alexa back in 2017, uptake was initially slow; just 2 percent of users made purchases through their voice device. Fast forward a couple of years and its potential market penetration remains smaller than online or mobile ordering. Still, for those operators whose customers love a hands free customer service experience with almost no follow up, 2020 is a year in which decisions about a voice ordering investment might be made.
With both chatbots and voice ordering, demographic information such as age and gender can be quickly gathered during the conversation without the customer realising they’re communicating it. This real-time data can be used by the AI to finely tune recommendations to the customer during the time of engagement, unlocking a higher levels of personalisation. Through voice, even emotion and user sentiment can be detected and input as data.
Beyond 2020, AI won’t just be about customer service. Payments will also undergo an AI transformation. Some brands have already begun exploring payments through facial recognition (powered by AI); in China, shoppers have begun purchasing from online retailers using the technology. If the movement expands out from there it could cement China as a reliable testing ground for applications and services with global potential.
The potential for AI is limitless. To unlock that potential, integrating with data-collecting technologies that have open and flexible APIs is vital. Such integrations enable AI software create value in the context of real-time business operations.
There’s more on AI available to read in our 2020 predictions report, so download it now!
If you haven’t read our 2020 predictions paper yet, click here to download it now. Food...
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