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 accurate business solutions.
Meanwhile, Elsie and Albert have been specially programmed with the Philippines and the Aboitiz Group’s business context in mind, and have been provided with internal documents and data relevant to the Group, so the assistance they can provide is targeted, precise and specific.
“[Elsie and Albert]are able to leverage the vast amount of background knowledge that we provide to them — everything from press releases and annual reports to internal company documents and public websites. They can look at the data and use it to inform their answers, synthesizing information from there — in this case, customized to the organization and the event,” Merkut said.
He said it's important for AI to work within an organization so that employees know everything they need to know and have access to, becoming a kind of “digital employee.”
Another defining feature of Elsie and Albert is that they have a human appearance, a visible form. Resembling two members of the Aboitiz team, Elsie and Albert greeted those in need of their services with friendly smiles and upbeat tones.
In addition to the novelty factor, Merkt said providing the AI form through an avatar makes the AI more approachable, encouraging Aboitiz team members to use Elsie and Albert's services more willingly.
“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.
Merkut, however, noted that Elsie and Albert will not be replacing anyone's role in Aboitiz.
He said the aim of AI is to augment and optimize operations within the company, 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. (public relations)
