This article was originally posted on Reseller News (reseller.co.nz)
Written by Rob O'Neill (New Zealand Reseller News)
15 February, 2023 12:23
Kiwi conversational AI platform developer Ambit is applying parameters and guardrails around its use of the GPT machine learning platform.
Generative Pre-trained Transformer, or GPT, is the open source system behind new applications such as ChatGPT, which made worldwide headlines over the last couple of months to its ability to create realistic, human-like text on the fly.
However, wonderment quickly turned to concern over issues such as accuracy, privacy, bias and the potential to use the technology for academic and other forms of cheating.
Ambit, which joined AWS' independent software vendor Accelerate co-sell programme last year, trains a variety of GPT models to enhance its conversational AI chatbot platform that support organisations with high volumes of customer service calls.
Recent publicity highlighted the potential of the technology to help businesses revolutionise their customer experience, the company said.
“Demand for conversational AI is driven by organisations who need to scale up their customer service, often at short notice, while managing costs and addressing skills shortages,” said Ambit CEO Tim Warren.
Ambit’s work on GPT large language models showed that more natural and accurate conversational answers were being generated. However, experience from multiple deployments was that the bots required guidelines and boundaries to ensure an enjoyable user experience.
That meant customer experience specialists were extending their roles to become chatbot trainers.
“All AI models require ongoing training to fine-tune accuracy, address ambiguity and return the most relevant accurate answers, something critical in business use cases, Warren said.
"The last thing users want to receive are so-called ‘hallucinated answers’ which may appear correct but are not accurate, yet can pose risks to brands.”
GPT-based chatbots would transform the customer experience by inspiring loyalty and repeat business as brands shifted focus to customer retention over acquisition, Ambit said.
Ambit won NZ Post as a customer last year. It is using a chatbot to help small or home-based business customers to receive an immediate response to commonly asked questions, freeing up the human customer care team to solve more complex queries.
“As ChatGPT, Bard and other AIs bring possibilities to the public eye, more of our clients and partners see the need for a paradigm shift - they’re asking for this technology to be added to their chatbots,” Warren said.
“Clients want to see the ROI, which is why we’ve used GPT in the way that we have, because it applies the technology in a way that is genuinely meaningful for businesses.”
Ambit redeveloped its channel strategy in 2019 and joined the AWS Marketplace in 2021 to raise its visibility globally and reach new customers.
