The concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become so prevalent in the modern world that it has become something that businesses need to seriously consider in order to stay competitive. The Aboitiz Group recently announced the group’s first AI-powered digital team members, Elsie and Albert, to further their applied research in AI.
Elsie and Albert were first introduced at the Aboitiz Group's annual Leaders Conference last May. They are human-like digital avatars with the ability to express facial expressions independently and answer questions using their own voice. During the conference, the avatars showed off their abilities by responding to commands and providing accurate summaries of presentations when asked questions.
“In today's rapidly evolving technology environment, it is imperative for leaders and professionals to adapt and transform. This is why we are putting people and technology transformation at the forefront of our big transformation efforts. The seamless collaboration between human and AI colleagues is a great example of how we can build an exciting future together with smart technology,” said Dia Franco Tuba, vice president of transformation at Aboitiz Equity Ventures.
Not just ChatGPT
Aboitiz’s new digital team members can answer queries using a vast pool of data, a feature that may remind some of popular, publicly available chatbots such as ChatGPT, but two key elements allow Elsie and Albert to offer much more: context and format.
Wolfgang Merkt, vice president of transformational technology at Aboitiz Equity Ventures, explained that the challenge with off-the-shelf chatbots such as ChatGPT is that they lack the context needed for precise business solutions. Elsie and Albert, on the other hand, have been specifically programmed with the Philippines and the Aboitiz Group's business context in mind, populated with internal documents and data relevant to the group. This way, the assistance they can provide is targeted, precise and specific.
“[Elsie and Albert]can leverage the vast amount of background knowledge that we provide them — everything from press releases and annual reports to internal company documents and public-facing websites. They can search the data and use it in their responses, synthesizing information from there — in this case, customized to the organization and the event,” Merkut said. He explained that it's key for the AI to work within an organization, knowing all the information employees need to know or have access to, becoming a kind of “digital employee.”
Another defining feature of Elsie and Albert is their human appearance, or tangible form. Resembling two members of Aboitiz's team, Elsie and Albert greet those in need of their services with a friendly smile and upbeat tone. In addition to the novelty factor, Merkut said providing an AI form through an avatar adds familiarity, which will encourage Aboitiz's team members to be more proactive in utilizing Elsie and Albert's services.
“When you think about the form factor, it makes a pretty big difference. The appearance reduces friction for people to interact with it,” Merkut said.
Aboitiz Group plans to further develop Elsie and Albert to expand use cases within the conglomerate. Their ability to process, analyze and reference vast amounts of corporate data could enable a range of external or internal facing roles within an organization.
However, Merkut noted that Elsie and Albert are not replacing anyone at Aboitiz. He stressed that the goal of AI is to augment and optimize the company's operations, making menial tasks faster and more efficient. After all, AI is a tool used by humans, and so far, Aboitiz Group employees have enjoyed the support and interaction from their newly appointed virtual colleagues.
