How AI can transform the online customer experience

Tools such as generative AI can enhance how engineers source new systems and components. But the proper checks and balances must be put in place, says Nick Young at RS Group

AI has become one of the defining technologies of our time. Its broad applicability and transformative potential across industries and use cases mean that it already touches our lives in multiple ways. Programs such as ChatGPT have demonstrated remarkable capabilities in natural language understanding. We also see advancing functionality in text-to-image creation, opening up new possibilities.

Indeed, recent research from Gartner shows that 45% of executive leaders said that the success of ChatGPT has prompted them to increase artificial AI investments, while 70% said their organisation was investigating and exploring the adoption of generative AI.

This rapid development presents opportunities and threats for organisations, large and small. Immediate questions arise. What does the emergence of AI mean for my business? How might it change the dynamics of the organisation in terms of offering greater efficiencies or differentiation? And how do we manage its implementation in a safe and ethical way?

Each question needs careful consideration, as the head-long rush towards AI adoption can undoubtedly bring problems in its wake.

Improving customer experiences

So, let us look at how generative AI could transform how products and services are provided to designers, builders and maintainers of industrial equipment. Firstly, it is worth noting just how quickly this technology is moving.

Taking ChatGPT as an example, the shift from version 3.5 to 4 in months saw a sharp increase in accuracy and efficiency, enabling it to understand and respond to more inputs. This momentum is likely to continue with further upgrades in quick succession. 

Also, these generative AI programs are incredibly easy to use, making them accessible for less technically proficient individuals. Essentially, the fear factor has gone. Whereas in the past, AI was a complex subject restricted to specialist roles such as computer science or software, engineering, or advanced medicine, it is now simple for anyone to make a natural language inquiry and see the power of that model. 

Capability and usability are, therefore, critically important. And those factors will increasingly come into play as generative AI continues to make its presence felt online. RS transacts 64% of its revenues through digital channels, and over 70% of our customer enquiries for products and components come through our on-site search capability. That is many millions of enquiries a month – most of which are unique.

The potential for generative AI to enhance that search function is immense. We have already moved to a Google AI-driven platform with natural language processing of long-tail keywords to provide more relevant and accurate results. With customers making highly bespoke enquiries through type, this kind of big data processing allows us to improve user experience significantly.

But where might AI go next? In online environments, such as electronic component distributor websites, AI-based technologies could help deliver even more personalised recommendations, 3D visualisations of products, interactive product tours, improved inventory management, or better post-purchasing support.

Again, these are possibilities – not necessarily realities – and it will be about continually assessing and evaluating new functionality and only introducing them when proven and ready.

Understanding the three As

These are examples of how AI might transform the digital world. More generally, the opportunities for generative AI, and indeed AI in its broader definition, can be categorised for simplicity under the ’three As’. 

Firstly, there is automation. How can it be used to help automate non-value processes so that you can redeploy human resources to more value-added activities?

Then there is augmentation. The search example given earlier exemplifies this. As the technology learns more from the content inputs, it personalises and improves your recommendations - which augments your experience.

And then, finally, there is advancement. This is where AI will provide transformative breakthroughs, particularly in specialised areas such as research or medicine, where it could profoundly affect the speed of development and performance of new drugs. 

So that is automating, augmenting and advancement. These are the primary areas where RS sees AI as having the most significant impact. But as a technologist and computer scientist by background, what is exciting is that many of the applications of AI have yet to be imagined. As the algorithms and models get smarter, the deployment options will increase, presenting new opportunities over time. 

Considering ethics and privacy

Finally, having offered a positive vision of the future for AI, it is important to acknowledge the challenges and potential dangers that it brings. All organisations must balance their employees’ natural curiosity around exciting technologies such as ChatGPT with the realisation of limitations.

Take the provision of new marketing material as an example. Undoubtedly, generative AI can significantly shorten the time from concept to delivery of a broad range of content, such as catalogues and brochures, that still feature heavily in B2B environments. But guardrails need to be put in place.

The nature of large language models means that information is being scraped from a vast repository of existing data. That brings questions of accuracy, authenticity, privacy and intellectual property into play. So, there are risks and implications, and suitable checks and balances must be in place. Indeed, there needs to be some level of caution before any AI-generated material enters the mainstream.

Cyber-security is a consideration, too. As with any technology at the bleeding edge, a lack of usage protocols runs the risk of data breaches and the leaking of sensitive information.

With generative AI, for example, prompting could expose facts or figures that could be visible to the large language model’s developers or shared with other parties. This oversight represents a risk in a B2B environment where details such as technical specifications could be confidential.

The message, then, is that a balance needs to be struck. It is vital that employees are aware of new technologies, such as generative AI, and encouraged to consider how it could be a force for good. But factors such as IP, privacy and risk are very real, and the correct security and legalities must be implemented.

Capitalising on exciting times ahead 

These points notwithstanding, there is no doubt that AI represents a tremendously exciting technology that will continue to have a significant impact on our sector. The industry is equipped with many talented people - from scientists and engineers to designers and product teams – looking at the continued advancement of products and services and how we can bring superior value to customers and suppliers.

I believe this progression is a continued journey, and AI will remain an invaluable tool in connecting new and different technologies across our domain, underpinning the innovations of tomorrow. 

Nick Young is Chief Digital and Innovation Officer at RS Group

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com and krungchingpixs