Trust in AI: Importance of Trustworthy AI Adoption.

7 Mins to read

Trust in AI

Trust is fundamentally built on a simple principle: taking a risk and then seeing that risk validated through trustworthy behavior. When we interact with entities like Conversational AI or live agents, we’re not just risking our time and information; we’re also betting on a favorable outcome.

This gamble highlights the critical role of trust in AI, especially in customer service contexts where the stakes include not just immediate satisfaction, but also long-term perceptions of reliability.

The leap of faith required to trust AI brings to the forefront unique challenges in ensuring these technologies are capable of fostering the confidence we naturally seek. An individual who engages with a company’s customer service is risking not only their time and information but also relying on obtaining a positive outcome. Here is where the importance of trust in AI comes into the game.

Trustworthy behavior is demonstrated by responding to the risk a person takes by “ensuring the trusted person will experience beneficial consequences” (Johnson, d. & Johnson F., 2013).

Challenges in Trusting AI Systems

In the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, one of the most significant hurdles is establishing and maintaining trust. Trust in AI encompasses a broad spectrum of concerns, from reliability and accuracy to ethical considerations and transparency. As AI systems increasingly play a role in our daily lives, especially in customer service, the stakes for trust become even higher.

Users not only expect these systems to understand and process their requests accurately but also to handle their information securely and make decisions that align with human values. The challenge lies in bridging the gap between AI’s current capabilities and the complex, often nuanced expectations users have based on their experiences with human interactions.

Despite the potential for increased efficiency and personalized service, the transition from human-operated to AI-driven customer service platforms introduces a new set of trust-related challenges.

These include issues around data privacy, the ability of AI to comprehend and empathize with user concerns, and the seamless integration of AI into existing customer service frameworks without disrupting the user experience. Building trust in AI requires not just technological advancements but also clear communication with users about how their data is used, the limitations of AI, and the measures in place to safeguard against errors or biases.

Accumulating Risk: Navigating Trust in AI-driven Customer Service

Consider the experience of Customer A, who, after moving to a new city and state, encountered a communication breakdown that led to a significant erosion of trust. Customer A believed he had updated his address with his company’s customer service to continue receiving reports on his Individual Retirement Account. Unfortunately, due to a disjointed customer service infrastructure, his update did not reach the appropriate departments, resulting in his financial report being sent to the old address and eventually returned to the sender.

This incident highlights several critical trust issues in traditional and AI customer service systems. Firstly, the reliance on outdated information due to siloed data management practices caused a direct financial impact on Customer A, missing out on a crucial investment opportunity.

Secondly, this experience revealed the underlying problem of a fragmented customer service approach, where the lack of integrated communication channels within the company led to misplaced trust and dissatisfaction with the customer. As a result, Customer A began to consider employment opportunities elsewhere, underscoring the broader implications of trust erosion in customer service on employee loyalty and retention.

Building Trust in AI: Overcoming the Risks of Repetitive Self-Disclosure in Customer Service

Each interaction with customer service is a risk for both the individual and the organization. When a user must self-disclose personal information (e.g., name, address, last four digits of Social Security number, and so forth) within a disjointed customer service system, each self-disclosure can accumulate or compound the risk.

When a person is repeatedly requested to self-disclose or commit their time to repeat information, they may form the perception that a customer service department is not trustworthy. This manifests in two conclusions: 1) the company is not supportive, and 2) the company is not cooperative. Support is conveyed by a company’s ability to productively and reliably handle a situation for an internal or external customer. A perception that the organization is wasting a person’s time is not productive and does not communicate support.

Taking risks to build trust makes a person vulnerable. Requiring that person to interact repeatedly with customer service can create a perception that the individual’s vulnerability could be exploited, neglected, or even abused. Moreover, one betrayal is often enough to destroy trust and; in fact to establish distrust. And once distrust is established is it resistant to change (Johnson, d. & Johnson F., 2013).

“Distrust leads to the perception that betrayal will reoccur in the future.”

How Conversational AI Lowers the Potential for Misplaced Trust

Automating via AI streamlines a process like a change of address, standardizing the user experience via knowledge workflows and reducing complexity. For example, Aisera automates internal service desk and external customer service interactions and resolutions through an all-in-one conversational platform. Aisera provides a single, scalable AI platform spanning ITHR, Facilities, SalesCustomer Service and Operations.

The Aisera solution works to:

  • Propel service team productivity
  • Reduce operations costs
  • Improve overall employee and customer satisfaction

A no-code AI service experience like that of Aisera is cloud-native and cost-efficient, requiring no additional resources, prep work, training, or data cleansing. Advanced conversational AI offers users a consumer-like experience with its robust, high-volume intent library. It delivers a personalized conversational experience to users in their preferred channel of choice, whether SlackMicrosoft Teams, Webchat, e-mail—or any other channel. Book a free conversational AI demo to experience Aisera’s artificial intelligence technology today!

After discovering that his change of address and other conventional activities could now be handled by self-service and leveraged across the company using AI, Customer A decided to re-think his job search and stay with his current employer.

Trustworthy and Responsible AI Solution

In the landscape of artificial intelligence, the imperative for trustworthy and responsible AI solutions is paramount. Aisera’s innovative approach, encapsulated in its TRAPS framework (Trusted, Responsible, Auditable, Private, and Secure), sets a benchmark in ethical AI design and deployment. This comprehensive strategy underscores the importance of incorporating ethical considerations, transparency, and security from the ground up.

Aisera’s commitment shines through its rigorous adherence to up-to-date protocols, aligning with evolving ethical and security standards. By prioritizing data confidentiality, Aisera ensures that customer data remains secure within its environment, underpinning its operations with the highest levels of privacy protection. This commitment extends to the meticulous management of data control and user consent, reinforcing the foundation of trust and respect that is critical for the acceptance and success of AI technologies.

Furthermore, Aisera’s dedication to reducing biases, enhancing transparency, and ensuring data accuracy speaks to its focus on delivering responsible AI. Through regular audits aimed at assessing bias and fairness, coupled with reinforcement learning that integrates human feedback, Aisera not only strives for but achieves a higher standard of AI reliability.

This is complemented by the company’s efforts in collaboration and industry engagement, working alongside academia and regulatory bodies to advance the practice of responsible AI. Such endeavors are crucial for fostering an environment where AI can be trusted and utilized to its full potential, ensuring that technological advancements contribute positively to society.

In essence, Aisera embodies the principles of trustworthy and responsible AI in its Generative AI products, offering solutions that not only meet but exceed the demands for ethical, secure, and effective AI applications. If you want to get started with Generative AI, you can book an AI demo today!

Additional Resources