In the pre-Internet era, it wasn’t uncommon to approach total strangers and ask them questions to make your day easier. On vacation? Ask the hotel concierge for a book of popular tourist attractions and local restaurant recommendations. Looking for a specific book at the library? Hit up the information desk or call them beforehand to speak to someone.
While the internet has largely eliminated our need to seek out other people to answer our questions, it’s not always perfect, and it requires effort. A hotel concierge knows the city’s best restaurants based on thousands of guest reviews, for example. On the internet, you have to look through photos and reviews and decide for yourself.
Until conversational artificial intelligence (AI) came along.
Conversational AI is a tool that replicates human language and lets you have conversations with a ‘robot’ online. Businesses are increasingly using conversational AI for customer service through chatbots. Conversational AI is evolving and shifting the way we interact with websites through searches and more.
The Evolution of Web Interfaces
Early internet websites often featured static pages. Even though some websites used video and animation to create visual interest, you couldn’t really engage with these elements. Modern websites often feature interactive elements. For example, for some properties, Airbnb uses navigation control to let you “walk through” a property before you book it. Retailers can add rotation to product pages, allowing customers to view a product from multiple angles.
Smartphones introduced us to mobile and touchscreen interfaces that change how we navigate websites. Before the smartphone, you didn’t have to worry about how your website would look on a small screen. Now you need to ensure that your site’s features work for mobile users, or risk losing customers who find you on their phones.
Conversational AI represents the next big paradigm shift in web design. These tools can understand and process human language and personalize your website for each user based on their needs and preferences. More so than just a ‘billboard’ or your business, your website could quickly become your spokesperson, salesperson, and brand ambassador.
Key Transformations Underway
In its current state, conversational AI is changing how people search the internet and how they see and interact with content.
Traditional internet searches relied on keywords. A search engine would match relevant keywords to a user’s query, often resulting in multiple irrelevant search results. Modern search engines utilize natural language processing and semantic search to comprehend a user’s intent, thereby displaying the most relevant content for their search.
For example, back in the day, if you were looking for a new pair of running shoes, a keyword search would only return webpages that contain the keywords “running shoes.” Natural language search now populates your results with websites using related terms such as “sneakers” or “tennis shoes.”
AI gives internet users a more curated content journey. Because AI can analyze large datasets in seconds, it can match you with content from multiple sources that appeals to you based on your search intent.
Conversational AI also guides your customers through your website based on their previous interactions with you. For example, e-commerce companies use AI to personalize product recommendations. A mechanic might use conversational AI to help customers find relevant pricing and services based on their internet search.
Challenges and Concerns
AI isn’t perfect, however. As it evolves, you will have to address some concerns, including data privacy. Conversational AI trains with data. You can train your AI and protect your customers by writing a clear data use policy and posting it prominently on your website. You should also give customers the option to opt out of data collection.
Randomizing data by removing identifying details is another way to make your AI work well without compromising customer privacy. There is also a gap between businesses using AI and those using traditional interfaces. AI is still expensive, so smaller businesses and slower-moving industries aren’t keeping up with large corporations and fast-paced industries. As more customers are exposed to AI-powered interfaces, they will expect them from every company.
It’s important to keep a human element in your business, too. AI can’t mimic human tone and other relevant details. Because AI lacks human creativity, relying too heavily on it can dilute your authenticity. Aim for a balance between AI and the human touch.
The Future of the Web Landscape
AI is shifting how people engage with your business online. Natural language searches match you with interested customers asking real questions. Chatbots and other tools let you offer 24/7 customer service without hiring new agents. AI can also curate and personalize internet experiences.
As AI evolves, it will give businesses even more tools to personalize customer service online. Customer service will evolve from chatbots to digital agents that can also interact through voice or video.
Prepare your business for an AI-driven future by adapting your search engine optimization (SEO) for contextual searches. Motoza can audit your website and develop an SEO strategy that works with conversational AI. Contact us today to discover how to enhance your online presence in the evolving internet landscape.
