As many as 70% of customer service professionals embrace the future of AI with no fear of job replacement, as revealed by a Dialpad report. The company released the 2023 edition of its State of AI at Work Report, unveiling significant insights into the adoption of AI among sales and customer service professionals in various sectors. The report highlights how AI is being embraced in these fields, addressing challenges such as limited funding, the need for ethical guidelines, and the push to improve accessibility.
“AI has created an all-new technological frontier that is compressing the pace of innovation at a rate we never thought possible. As AI continues to be embedded throughout enterprise workflows, it’s crucial to focus on new opportunities created by this transformation – the potential that it possesses is a must for every business,” said Dan O’Connell, Chief Ai & Strategy Officer at Dialpad.
AI adoption is a positive trend
The adoption of AI has shown a positive trend, with 76% of respondents acknowledging that they had not used AI before but are now open to considering it after using ChatGPT. As many as 79% of sales and customer service professionals using AI tools have experienced many benefits, stating an improvement in their performance. Among various industries, the top five actively integrating AI into their daily operations for customer service and sales are the media, entertainment, defense, software, and chemical/pharmaceutical sectors.
Customer service professionals are embracing AI, with 70% expressing no fear that AI will replace their jobs in the future, despite it being a major topic of discussion. Moreover, the current state of the economy in 2023 has led to 84% of sales managers and higher-ups recognizing the importance of AI tools in supporting their company's growth objectives. As these managers seek increased efficiency, improved sales, and better service, they are likely to invest more in AI capabilities.
The issue of AI ethical consideration
AI ethical considerations pose challenges, as 84% of respondents disclosed that their companies do not have a comprehensive AI policy in place, suggesting a lack of clear guidelines for responsible AI usage. Additionally, slightly more than half of the respondents believe that AI is accessible, indicating a perception that there might be barriers to adopting AI in their organizations. These results highlight the need for companies to develop specific AI policies to ensure responsible and informed use of AI technology.
Additionally, the adoption of AI is hindered by budgetary constraints, with 37% of respondents citing lack of budget as the primary reason for not using AI tools at work. In addition to financial limitations, other obstacles to wider AI adoption include the need to address ethical concerns, establish comprehensive policies, ensure privacy, and enhance accessibility.
The report also reveals that among companies with less than 50 employees, 30% of them hold a skeptical view towards using AI tools.
In May, Dialpad announced a partnership with Google Cloud with the aim of developing new generative AI capabilities that will make it easier for Dialpad customers to work more efficiently.
