AI and Small Your Business

Before You Jump on the Bandwagon

Know Your Customer

How Old (or Young) is Your Customer?

A deep dive article in Katana reveals that 1 in 2 customers prefer talking to a person over an AI chatbot. This finding is, not surprisingly, customer-age related. Millennials and Gen Zers are more comfortable sharing information with AI than older generations.

Customer Income is a Factor

Although high-income respondents are generally more accepting of AI chatbots, they still show a preference for human interaction. The higher the income, the higher the satisfaction with AI.

However, the results are more opaque when examined further. As the Katana author says, “…While the majority of respondents in this (high) income group (28%) said they were very comfortable sharing personal information with chatbots, 26% said they were very uncomfortable doing so. Moreover, 38% of high-income respondents still prefer talking to a live human for customer support, and only 15% prefer a chatbot.”

“By comparison, 30% of those in the low-income group said they were not comfortable at all sharing sensitive information with AI. 55% of these respondents also said they preferred talking to a live human for their customer service needs, with only 8% choosing an AI chatbot. “

Women Vs. Men

Due to persistent societal and cultural influences, men tend to be more trusting of technology than women. Women’s skepticism of AI may be well-placed, due to potential concerns regarding algorithmic bias, job displacement, gender pay gaps, and ethical considerations.

Generalized AI is trained on massive amounts of unscreened data, which often reflects historical and societal biases.  These algorithmic biases have been reinforced because AI development has been a male-dominated field.

Customers are More Than a Sum of Their Algorithms

The survey conducted by Katana emphasizes the important disparities that must be considered when adopting AI for your business. Customer age, income, and gender should be considered when designing and implementing AI solutions. Keep in mind that your customers are more than the sum of their algorithms. Other relevant customer characteristics are likely to be part of the demographic you need to consider.

How Can ASN Help?

If one thing is sure, it is that the business landscape is evolving rapidly, and the maps you followed yesterday may not lead you to where your business needs to go tomorrow. Finding and studying these new maps would take too much time away from your business.

However, at ASN, it IS our business to study and know this evolving landscape and be your guide as you navigate these new waters. Our professionals are ready to help you determine the best way to integrate AI into your business. If you have any questions, give us a call – we would love to talk.