Artificial intelligence (AI) is an advanced computer program or system that emulates human behaviour in being able to sift, analyse and extrapolate from data and come to useful and logical conclusions from the operation.
AI is increasingly being employed at user interfaces for many reasons:
- It prevents enquiries that can’t be handled at source being referred to a live operator;
- It enables you to be proactive with users as AI can analyse and interpret user data and make recommendations or provide information based on this;
- It can provide a human feel to customer handling and without some of the delays and mistakes associated with human intervention;
- It can anticipate user needs and provide options and useful information to users ahead of them actually requesting it;
- It can be personalised and make an enquirer feel comfortable – some people don’t like talking to an actual person and prefer to search for information themselves; AI can make this a more human experience;
- AI can access and process a lot of data rapidly and so provide answers in a much shorter timeframe eg. it can search previous sales and furnish personal data so a user doesn’t have to supply repeat information for an order;
- AI can also eliminate the need for the user to go through a number of screens and operations to find out wat they need to know.
What are the implications of AI on UX design?
Firstly, designers need to start thinking more abstractly and in three (or even four) dimensions when they are designing websites. Instead of thinking about links and navigation they need to think about interactions and user needs and requirements. Speed is becoming more and more of a given on the web and the quicker you can retrieve and provide what the user wants, with the minimum of effort on their part, the better your site will be perceived. In fact, many experts believe that in the not-too-distant future the level of AI sophistication and speed will be the criteria for judgement of your brand and products.
The second important issue relates to departing from traditional views of marketing brands/products. AI is much more of a push than a pull technology. Busy people expect certain basic (and perhaps not-so-basic) decisions and options to be available or already made so they can get on with more important decisions and activity. They will, quite possibly, not be making their judgements on the conventional criteria like price, appearance, quality, image but more on whose AI app has correctly predicted and interpreted their needs and provided them with a tailor-made answer.
Designers and marketers will need to start anticipating consumer wants before the users even know they have them, suggesting new products or adaptations/enhancements of existing ones.
If you are considering incorporating AI into your website or are just interested in learning more about the technology why not give us a call on +44(0)800 024624 or email us at hello@ux247.com
