Have you seen examples of artificial intelligence (AI) at work on the websites you visit? Perhaps a better question to ask is were you aware that AI was empowering those sites? If you had a conversation with a virtual shopping assistant via a chatbot or another solution, you most likely engaged with an AI-powered piece of technology that was designed to enhance the quality of your online shopping experience.

What is artificial intelligence?

Apart from being the name of a movie (alright, the official title is A.I. Artificial Intelligence), Artificial Intelligence, or AI as it’s commonly abbreviated, describes the intelligent actions a machine takes, compared with the natural intelligence shown by humans. Perhaps the best definition of AI was coined by a man named John McCarthy, a leading figure in the computer science department at Stanford University in the United States.

“It is the science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs. It is related to the similar task of using computers to understand human intelligence, but AI does not have to confine itself to methods that are biologically observable.”

AI uses data to make decisions and perform certain actions, without necessarily needing to be programmed to take such actions. Machines can even learn from their mistakes, making AI a lot more useful than swearing at your computer when things go wrong. But that’s not all. There are several other technologies that, when twinned with AI, make AI much more powerful.

At a glance:

Artificial Intelligence describes the intelligent decisions and actions a machine takes using data.

Natural Language Processing handles the interaction between a computer and humans and makes machines artificially intelligent.

Machine learning is an aspect of AI which involves teaching machines to recognise patterns or perform certain tasks.

Deep learning defines general purpose algorithms that enable machines to learn more than just one specific task.

Neural networks use math and scientific principles that imitate the natural functions of a human brain. Neural networks are what allow machines to undertake deep learning.

How does artificial intelligence work?

At its core, AI is a form of computer science that tests the comprehensive capabilities of machines. It ties back to a question first posed by mathematician Alan Turing, who famously assisted the Allies in WWII against the Nazis by cracking secret encryption machines. Turing devoted years of research towards answering the question, “can machines think?”.

1. AI attempts to replicate natural human brain cognitive abilities
2. It trains machines to think and analyze data like a human mind
3. Machines learn to think rationally and logically to make informed decisions
4. The technology learns and evolves as it comes in contact with more data
5. This evolutionary process empowers the machines to think and act like humans

The fact that AI-powered machines continuously learn and evolve are a boon to brands eager to transform how they conduct business. By incorporating AI into their operations, brands can make more strategic use of their human resources by delegating repetitive tasks to the machines. This allows companies to earn more value from their employees and also maintain quality service for customers.

Examples of artificial intelligence tools in everyday life

There are a number of ways that companies can put AI into practice. Some of the most common uses of AI in business are to support and enhance the quality of customer service and support provided to shoppers, often in real-time.

1. Provide recommendations to online shoppers

Many brands have invested heavily in e-commerce experiences as an alternative to traditional retail. But online shopping lacks the traditional in-store service from a representative who can make personalized recommendations to shoppers as they browse through their options.

However, by incorporating AI into their websites, brands can recreate that traditional shopping experience. AI is often used as a virtual shopping assistant to engage with shoppers on the website in real-time. Shoppers can receive personalized recommendations for products and/or services as they browse through the site, and the technology handles all of the interactions.

1. Use data to segment audiences and personalize experiences

AI is constantly learning new information and processing key pieces of data so that it can grow and evolve over time. As it identifies new data and recognizes patterns in that information, AI becomes more intelligent and more beneficial to the end users on your site.

The machine learning technology that’s built into AI platforms enables the technology to gain these insights. That’s why companies use machine learning chatbots to manage real-time interactions with shoppers. The chatbot learns to process FAQs and create informative responses best suited to answer those questions, providing more fulfilling, enriching, and satisfying experiences for customers.

1. Use chatbots to automate customer service

As AI becomes more intelligent and more helpful for shoppers, the technology can further enhance and expand the capabilities of your brand’s customer service. AI-powered chatbots give people a real-time shopping assistant with informative advice and recommendations to make their shopping experience as easy and seamless as possible.

This is also extremely beneficial for your business as a whole. With the chatbot intelligent enough to manage interactions with new shoppers, you can automate more of your support programs and dedicate your in-house team to handle the most rare or serious of enquiries.

Artificial intelligence tools make AI accessible to businesses like yours

AI is a valuable tool that can increase the capabilities and service provided by your business. It’s a great resource that helps you provide a great online shopping experience, drive higher order values per conversion, and automate the entire customer support arm of your business.

At Kindly, we’ve created valuable virtual shopping technology that’s powered by AI to help businesses implement these strategies and achieve their goals for growth. Our solutions are very straightforward, requiring little to no research or development work from our clients to implement. Customer service is one of the pillars of our organization, and that’s why we’ve built a knowledgeable implementation team to help you get the most out of our solutions.