The Generative AI Vision (Part 1) - Automating Human Experiences

Generative AI and tools like ChatGPT demonstrate how AI can deliver human-like experiences. This blog series explores where we are today and where we're heading.

Imagine you purchased a pair of Sonos One Bluetooth speakers you plan to pair with your living room TV. After completing the setup process, you struggle to pair the speakers with your TV, so you go to the Sonos website. While on the site, you notice a floating image in the lower right-hand corner that says chat with a live agent. You click the button and connect to a live video call with Sam, a customer service agent. Sam greets you, and you explain your problem. She tells you a Sonos soundbar is required to pair your Sonos Ones with your TV. You're disappointed, but Sam explains why a soundbar is needed and recommends the Ray or Beam for your particular setup. You thank Sam and decide to purchase the Beam.

Sonos has implemented software that supports this exact scenario. In fact, I recently had an experience similar to the one above. But, Sonos uses human agents only available during regular business hours. This process works for Sonos because of their high average cart size and low number of SKUs.

Now, let's go through a similar journey at Home Depot. You just finished renovating your kitchen, complete with new zellige backsplash tile. The portrait you commissioned of your dog, Hudson, fits perfectly in your new coffee bar nook, which has six feet of vertical space. But you need to figure out how to hang the painting of your best buddy without damaging your beautiful new backsplash. So, you visit Home Depot's website to do some research.

Like Sonos' site, you notice a floating image to contact support. You click the button to connect with a live agent and join an instant video call with Linda. You show Linda your space and explain the problem. Linda recommends purchasing some Command Hooks, which are picture hangers with a strong adhesive that can stick to your new backsplash without damaging it. You end the call and order some Command Hooks.

Because Home Depot carries thousands of items that range in price point from screws that cost a few cents to appliances that cost thousands of dollars, they can't provide the same experience as Sonos. Today, you can get this sort of advice in-store, but it's cost prohibitive for Home Depot to provide tailored online support. But customers would love customer service like this scenario, so how can Home Depot deliver?

Home Depot needs to leverage a generative AI software product capable of providing tailored customer support.

ChatGPT is one of several generative AI building blocks that will transform customer and employee experiences across industries, job functions, and tasks. ChatGPT alone can't deliver the Home Depot customer experience described above, but it's one of the building blocks for an automated human-like experience.

In this blog series, we dive deeper into different generative AI technologies and how they will be applied to solve business problems over the next decade. Yes, we'll see hundreds of innovative tools released this year using APIs from OpenAI and other tools. But, it'll take years to develop an automated experience like the Home Depot example above. Together, we'll explore the problems generative AI will tackle in the coming years.