Have You Ever Been Tricked by AI, Thinking It’s Real? | Call & Contact Centre Expo 2024

Have you ever been tricked by AI, thinking it’s real? With AI advancing at an astonishing pace, some may begin to wonder what is real and what’s an LLM.

In the world of customer experience AI is being used more and more to enhance communication and speed up customer service.

We asked attendees and exhibitors at the Call & Contact Centre Expo 2024 what their experience had been. There were some interesting answers!

And our prehistoric pal makes another appearance too!

AI Chatbots are becoming more popular

The question above brought a mix of reflections and experiences, highlighting how artificial intelligence is weaving its way into our daily lives. An increasing number of organisations are turning to AI for their communications and customer service in particular. 58% of companies in a B2B sector are now actively using chatbots, compared to 42% of B2C companies. It’s becoming more acceptable for consumers too, with approximately 70% of European customers prepared to actively engage with AI assisted support.

Several respondents at the Call & Contact Centre Expo admitted to interacting with AI chatbots and being uncertain whether they were communicating with a real person or a program. They noted that these tools have become increasingly convincing, especially in customer support contexts. One speaker pointed out that they “never know the difference” when chatting with support systems, acknowledging the leaps and bounds AI has made in mimicking human communication.

This sentiment resonates in industries like fintech and banking, where customer service often involves AI-driven interactions. The smooth, efficient responses of chatbots can easily blur the line between human and machine.

Personal Stories and Uncertainty

Unsurprisingly, there were some personal anecdotes about whether they had been fooled. One speaker humorously recounted a time they thought an interaction was “too good to be true” but turned out to involve a real person.
For some, the experience is ambiguous: “How would I know? Maybe.” This reflects a broader uncertainty, as AI’s seamless integration into digital interactions often leaves little room for identifying it outright.

Skepticism and Confidence in Spotting AI

Not everyone believed they had been deceived by AI. A few respondents confidently stated they hadn’t been tricked, though they acknowledged knowing others who had. These perspectives suggest that some people remain vigilant or perhaps less exposed to realistic AI scenarios in their interactions.

In professional sectors, such as financial services, this skepticism may stem from an awareness of how AI operates behind the scenes. Yet, as AI continues to evolve, even the most discerning users may find themselves second-guessing.

What This Means for Financial Services

The responses underscore an important shift: AI is becoming a silent partner in our conversations. For industries like fintech, where trust and clarity are paramount, this evolution presents both opportunities and challenges. As chatbots and AI systems grow more sophisticated, maintaining transparency about when customers are interacting with AI could foster trust and set clear expectations.

AI’s ability to mimic human interaction is advancing rapidly, creating moments of uncertainty, humor, and even skepticism. We’ve got to be cautious of course, but also realistic about the increasing role it will play, for the better, getting used to the possibility that we are not always talking to a real human being.

Watch more videos from the Call and Contact Centre Expo 2024 right here.