Courtesy of ChatGPT – I’ve been promoted! Why you still need a trusted advisor

At IntelePeer we are just as excited by ChatGPT, and generative AI, as the rest of the industry. Generative AI has the potential to be incredibly powerful and is quite possibly the next iteration of how we interact with contact centers. However, just like when you search for information today – sources matter.

When ChatGPT burst onto the scene, IntelePeer jumped at the chance to integrate with the platform. Why not? It has the potential to enhance the customer experience (CX) in ways conversational AI cannot. However, my first interaction with ChatGPT through IntelePeer SmartFlows yielded interesting results. The request, “give me a short paragraph about Adam Klodner from IntelePeer.” Much to my surprise, ChatGPT returned the following:

“Adam Klodner is the CEO of Intelepeer, a cloud communication company that provides businesses with communication and collaboration solutions. He has extensive experience in the technology industry, with a focus on cloud communications, voice and data services, and software-defined networking. Under his leadership, Intelepeer has seen significant growth and has established itself as a leader in the cloud communication space. Adam is known for his innovative approach to problem-solving and his commitment to delivering exceptional customer service. With his deep understanding of the industry and a clear vision for the future, he is well positioned to drive the continued success of Intelepeer.”

High praise, I’ve been promoted! However, our CEO, Frank Fawzi, was not nearly as enthusiastic about my promotion. Valuing my current job, I corrected ChatGPT advising, “Adam Klodner is not the CEO of IntelePeer.” The response:

Now sales is panicking. If I’m one of them, who do they call for advanced technical support? So, once again, I corrected ChatGPT:

At this point, I was promoted to Director of Product Marketing, another fallacy. The point: ChatGPT, and generative AI, is not infallible. In fact, it is potentially as problematic as ANY un-cited internet resource.

In a recent PBS.org article, “Analysis: ChatGPT is great at what it’s designed to do. You’re just using it wrong,” the author points out that ChatGPT isn’t necessarily factual, rather it delivers information that seems plausible. If you notice in the first example, ChatGPT roughly admits this, “I apologize for the previous response not meeting your expectations. As an AI language model, I strive to provide the best possible output, but sometimes I may fall short.”

“I may fall short” is key. The models and the experience are only as good as the provided data. Who provides the data? People. Which people? Taken a step further it’s fair to ask if there are bad actors pumping erroneous or biased data into the AI models. As with everything new and powerful, in the wrong hands, things can go south real fast.

So, where does that leave us? How do we ensure any level of reliability? You should ask your communications automation provider. While providers are eager to say they have a connection to ChatGPT; what does that mean? A reliable partner will consult with you and say when, and when not, ChatGPT will work for your company?

At IntelePeer, these are the things we think about. Can you imagine the damage an errant response could cause customers? We can. Not using technology for the sake of it, we leverage the most effective and appropriate tools for our customers by understanding the goals of the businesses we serve. We conscientiously vet generative AI and how it can play into our customers’ ecosystems. Maybe you need ChatGPT, maybe you need it with fine-tuned modeling, maybe you don’t need it at all. This is where having a partner that can serve as a trusted advisor comes into play. As a company, you need to be able to trust your provider to identify the goals of your business and advise accordingly.

ChatGPT and generative AI is exciting, and in my opinion, a preview of future contact center interactions. However, in this new age of information gathering, it’s imperative that you have an experienced guide help you navigate the possibilities of the technology.

At IntelePeer, we understand the importance of using AI as a part of your communications strategy and offer a range of products and services to tap into the technology. Get in touch to learn more.