According to the New York Times, ChatGPT and similar AI chatbots have Google scared. Brought to you by OpenAI, the same company that developed the art app, DALL·E, ChatGPT is already proving disruptive. 

However, according to the SupportYourApp.com team, we’re not yet at a point where we can do away with traditional customer service. Read on to learn more about ChatGPT’s potential to disrupt the customer service industry and why human support is more critical than ever. 

What is ChatGPT? 

ChatGPT is an AI chatbot that is currently taking the world by storm. Users now use it to aggregate data across the internet. What makes this bot different from its predecessors is that it can compile relatively accurate data in easy-to-read sentences. 

Instead of compiling a list of URL links, the software collects the most pertinent information from each site. This difference makes finding answers more effortless and could revolutionize how we use search engines. 

How Effective is this Technology? 

ChatGPT is still in its infancy, so there is still much work to do. However, it represents a significant stride forward when it comes to previous AI chatbots. With older models, you had to sift through many bad results to find a glimmer of the correct answer. ChatGPT is changing that with “eerily” accurate answers. 

How Will this Technology Affect Customer Service? 

We still need to see, but it will have an impact. When someone comes up with a workable commercial application, it could be helpful for businesses. However, in the interim, it could prove bad news for companies. 

Why? 

Say, for example, that a customer wishes to know your store’s opening hours. They run a typical Google search and see a list of URLs and the Google aggregated data. They learn to click on your site to get the correct information. The same is true of any information they may request.

However, ChatGPT gives an aggregate of information that it derives from various sources. This information may or may not be correct, depending on how many data sources it uses. If there are discrepancies across several sites, review sites, and directories, it may pick up the wrong information. 

Therefore, businesses will have to pay more attention to checking their business credentials and customer mentions online. ChatGPT could, therefore, mean focusing more on customer support functions like online monitoring and 24/7 support. 

Client support consultants would likely have to become more proactive in dealing with potentially damaging situations. For example, if a third-party site posts incorrect information about a deal you offer, your customer support will need to deal with the situation. 

Why Human Support Agents Aren’t Going Anywhere Soon

ChatGPT represents a massive leap forward, and many are confident we’ll benefit greatly from this technology. However, we are nowhere near the point where AI can replace humans. Companies need human employees to deal with the potential fallout of mistakes AI might make. 

While ChatGPT produces interesting answers, these responses lack the empathy and critical thought of a human reply. For example, we recently ran an article about a professor who encountered a student who used AI to generate an essay answer paper. In it, the professor stated that he felt it was a worrying turn of events as the difference would become less evident as AI learned more. 

Is AI Coming to a Service Outlet Near You? 

AI is fast becoming a valued member of the service industry. Will it eclipse human service? No, it is likely to make human support more crucial than ever. However, as the bot can answer simple queries to the customer’s satisfaction, it’s a helpful tool.