With many children’s apps lacking transparency in the data-safety and privacy practices, these apps may also be engaging in invasive practices, potentially exposing children to exploitative advertising and even criminal activity. Incogni analyzed the 10 most popular child-targeted apps from 59 countries and found that half of these apps extensively collect children’s data, and many don’t follow the best data privacy guidelines.

In today’s world, where kids spend so much of their free time on mobile devices, keeping them and their personal information safe becomes a challenge. Insufficient parental supervision can facilitate the exposure of children’s data, not only for marketing purposes but also for malicious and criminal activity targeting children.

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Incogni, a leading personal information removal service, has conducted an analysis of child-targeted Android apps, shedding light on concerning data privacy practices prevalent in children’s apps globally.

The data was gathered and analyzed for the 10 most popular child-targeted apps from 59 countries, which yielded a total of 74 unique apps—primarily games. The investigation focused on the data safety sections of these apps on the Google Play Store.

Out of these 74 popular children’s apps, Incogni identified 34 that were collecting user data, and 21 that were sharing data.

Among the most data hungry apps are: “Toca Boca Jr: Hair Salon 4”, “Kahoot! Play & Create Quizzes”, “Toca Boca Jr”, “WildCraft: Animal Sim Online”, “Avatar World: City Life”, “Baby Panda World: Kids Games”, “Miraculous Life”, “BabyBus Kids: Video&Game World”, Aha World: Create Stories”, “Toca Life World: Build a Story”, “Baby Panda’s Kids Play”. The most data sharing are the following: “Duddu – My Virtual Pet Dog”, “Bubbu – My Virtual Pet Cat”, “Truck games – build a house”, “Bubbu School – My Virtual Pets”, “Paper Princess’s Dream Castle”, “Paper Princess: Shining World”, “Builder Game”.

The 34 data-collecting apps gather data from an average of 5.7 data points and share from an average of 2.8 data categories. Notably, 11 apps were recognized as particularly data-hungry, collecting 7 or more data points, with five collecting 10 or more, mainly their users’ approximate location (4), email addresses (8), photos (2), and purchase histories (8). These 11 apps accounted for 55% of all data points collected by the investigated apps, including analytics, app functionality, fraud prevention, and advertising/marketing.

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Almost all data-collecting apps claimed to encrypt data and remain committed to the Google Play Families Policy. However, only 62% of data-collecting apps allowed users to request the deletion of their data.

In a global breakdown, apps popular in Oceania exhibited the highest average of 5.3 data points per use, with those in New Zealand coming in at the top with 5.3 collected data points, followed by Australia with collected 5.1 data points. The most popular apps for kids in those countries are: Toca Life World: Build a Story, Blake eLearning, Avatar World: City Life, Kahoot: Play and Create Quizzes.

Apps in Europe averaged 5 data points, with those in Finland, Ireland, Poland, and Portugal leading in data collection. Apps popular in Pakistan and Algeria were identified as having the least data-hungry apps, with 0.2 data points on average. In India the most popular apps for kids collect 1.0 data point. The most popular apps in this country are: Piano Kids: Listen&Learn, Coloring Games: Color&Paint, Kids Games: For Toddlers 3-5.

The complexity of privacy settings, legal and regulatory gaps, and weak enforcement, contribute to the persistence of exploitative practices. The issue is intensified further by the lack of parental education.

Incogni emphasizes the need for enhanced transparency and user control, urging app developers to prioritize the privacy and security of their youngest users.

“Addressing this problem requires collaborative efforts from parents, regulators, and tech companies to establish and enforce clear and strong standards that prioritize children’s online safety and privacy, including parental education, industry self-regulation, and legal frameworks.” Darius Belejevas, Head of Incogni, outlines.

Incogni’s study, based on the rankings provided by Appmagic.rocks2 in the kids’ category, covered apps popular in 59 countries. The information on each of the 74 identified apps was then collected from the data safety sections of the Google Play Store pages and further aggregated on a country and regional level for analysis. Data collection from the Google Play Store took place on November 28, 2023.

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[To share your insights with us, please write to sghosh@martechseries.com]

The post Data Privacy Risks in Child-Targeted Android Apps Worldwide – Incogni Research appeared first on AiThority.

Consumer super apps are coming to America. And, the B2B super app isn’t far behind.

Outside the United States, super apps dominate consumer markets. These platforms offer multiple, diversified services for everyday life, provide a common financial transaction platform, and leverage intra-app data to tailor offerings. The user enjoys a seamless, integrated, contextualized, and efficient experience. For example, WeChat started as a way for users to text each other, and today also provides hold-to-talk voice messaging, broadcast messaging, video conferencing, video games, mobile payments, sharing of photographs and videos, and location sharing.

Other super apps include Paytm (India), Grab (Singapore), Gojek (Indonesia), and Kakao (South Korea). Together, they captivate over 2.4 billion monthly active users.[1] These platforms leverage their existing user traffic and distribution to drive lead generation and traffic to their partners.

In the U.S., Elon Musk has envisioned repurposing Twitter (now X) as “the everything app.” The Uber app allows users to book a ride or order a meal. Amazon features medical consultations, pharmacy services, and grocery delivery.

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What would a B2B super app look like?

It starts with an exceptional industry-specific user experience. A look across the SaaS landscape reveals a wide array of options for service companies to schedule, communicate with their customers, and more. Other SaaS providers make inventory tracking a breeze and automatically generate appealing online storefronts. The edge in each industry will go to whatever solution best understands their customers’ evolving needs.

Fintech can accelerate the evolution of the B2B super app by enabling online commerce with embedded finance features, including payments, lending, checking accounts, and other features.

These embedded finance solutions present a special challenge.

Why?

Compliance with a slew of financial regulations, providing absolute cyber security, and seamlessly integrating a wide variety of financial services into one platform may be the most difficult tasks involved in deploying a B2B super app.

The first software provider to successfully create their industry’s super app will win the race by integrating existing proven technologies and services; trying to make something literally from scratch virtually guarantees the developer will fall behind.

Exploring new partnerships helps software providers in industries such as healthcare, law, and music, for a start, integrate embedded finance features into a comprehensive app that’s sticky for customers and opens new revenue streams for the provider.

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B2B customers are tired of switching between apps to manage their business. They’re intimidated by the dizzying array of integrations available on many marketplaces. They trust their software provider to create a super app for them – but they’re not patient.

[To share your insights with us, please write to sghosh@martechseries.com]

The post Every Sector Deserves its Own Super App appeared first on AiThority.

The new tool will strengthen user acquisition through Apple Search Ads for advertisers to engage vernacular audiences 

Affle (India) announced that it has released a new product tool for powering multilingual keyword recommendation on its performance-focused Apple Search Ads (ASA) management platform, Newton. The new GenAI tool allows advertisers to reach and engage vernacular audiences who are searching for apps on the iOS App Store in their native languages. Advertisers working with Newton to scale their iOS user acquisition will now be able to access more highly relevant keywords for their app in a specific country and chosen language to acquire vernacular users who don’t always search in English language. 

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 Incorporating an AI-driven multilingual keyword strategy helps advertisers to expand new user base for their iOS apps and gain a competitive edge by maximizing the share of voice among the target audience, particularly users who are in regions with diverse-speakers such as APAC, EMEA, and LATAM. Newton’s multilingual keyword recommendation currently supports 20 languages such as Hindi, Arabic, Turkish, Bahasa, Japanese, and Spanish across 61 countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Canada, Mexico.   

 Commenting on the launch, Viraj Sinh, Co-Founder & Managing Partner (International) at Affle’s MAAS Platform and Head for Newton, said, “The new-age digital mobile users are spread across the globe and many come from non-English speaking countries. These users navigate and interact with apps in their native languages. It makes mastering keyword search for app discovery and installs crucial for marketers to expand their user base, particularly in regions with people who speak diverse languages. With Newton, we have envisioned a more AI and data-driven future for ASA. The GenAI-powered multilingual keyword recommendations tool empowers advertisers to automate, grow and scale their ASA campaigns by accelerating keyword research and accessing hundreds of relevant, native words for their app instantly, going beyond the manual processes.”  

 Several marquee clients across industry categories like eCommerce & Retail, FinTech, Banking & Insurance, Gaming, and FoodTech have already found success with Newton’s capabilities for their marketing growth efforts. 

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 Newton’s multilingual keyword-based strategies, intelligent competition insights, and precise keyword recommendations, coupled with a comprehensive view of metrics, empowered us to attain our critical conversion objectives for the campaign while keeping it cost efficient. We are delighted to work with a partner like Newton to help us reach more premium customers,” said Sneha Chaudhary, Assistant Manager, eCommerce, retail, digital & omnichannel, Landmark Group. 

 Speaking on using Newton for their marketing growth, Urmesh Chandra,  Head- Digital Marketing, PolicyBazaar.com said, “Newton has helped us to reach high-quality users by optimizing Apple Search Ads campaigns, driving higher leads post app downloads. The keyword recommendation tool and smart optimization rules on core keywords have helped us grow our customer base, maintain our overall CPA and be more efficient.” 

 On Newton, iOS app advertisers can run and optimize their Apple Search Ads campaigns for better bottom-of-the-funnel campaign goals, such as app installs, user activation, and product purchases. The multilingual keyword recommendation tool is inline with Affle’s vision and endeavor to drive significant value for its customer in the iOS ecosystem. 

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The post Affle Releases GenAI-Powered Multilingual Keyword Tool for Newton, its iOS App Growth Platform appeared first on AiThority.

Treasure Global Inc, an innovative technology solutions provider, announced that it has launched its ZCITY App Merchant Artificial Intelligence Engine for its proprietary app, ZCITY, that will tailor highly personalized eVoucher deals for users.

Collaborating with Boost, the regional full spectrum fintech arm of Axiata, Treasure Global will leverage the fintech’s extensive network of over 600,000 diverse merchants spanning various industries. This will support ZCITY’s user base growth significantly and expand its brand presence in the region while generating anticipated revenue growth.

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The AI engine will redefine ZCITY’s offering of eVoucher deals, by creating and deploying “Super Deals” eVouchers directly within the ZCITY App within the ZCITY user community. The eVoucher deals will undergo a sophisticated personalization process, ensuring they resonate with the specific user that is being targeted. This personalization will draw from user behaviour, spending patterns, preferences, and transaction histories, setting a new standard for targeted marketing and value delivery.

The Company expects introduction of the ZCITY App Merchant AI Engine and its collaboration with Boost to be a key revenue driver for Treasure Global Inc. By facilitating the creation of highly personalized eVoucher deals for 2.5 million ZCITY users, this innovation unlocks significant monetization opportunities. Furthermore, the rich data insights derived from user interactions and preferences will empower Treasure Global to further optimize its offerings, driving additional revenue through targeted marketing campaigns and expanded merchant partnerships.

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Finally, the synergy between ZCITY’s users and merchants presents an additional avenue for revenue generation. As users redeem these purchased Super Deal eVouchers at participating merchants, ZCITY earns a commission for each transaction, effectively monetizing the increased business traffic brought to these merchants. This innovative monetization strategy ensures that the value flow from merchant to user to ZCITY remains seamless and mutually beneficial.

Sam Teo, Chief Executive Officer of Treasure Global Inc, commented, “What sets the ZCITY Merchant AI Engine apart is, not only its ability to reduce inefficiencies of traditional pre-paid vouchers, but its capacity to generate invaluable data-driven insights. This data-driven approach promises to bridge the longstanding data gap within the industry, providing an effective, performance-based solution that delivers unprecedented value to both users and merchants. We believe this solution will serve as a key revenue driver for the Company. TGL remains committed to pushing the boundaries of technological innovation, empowering both users and merchants, while fostering financial inclusion and efficiency within the digital realm.”

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[To share your insights with us, please write to sghosh@martechseries.com]

The post Treasure Global Inc Partners With Boost to Revolutionize Evoucher Deals With ZCITY App’s Merchant AI Engine appeared first on AiThority.

Customer experience (CX) leaders are quickly realizing the infinite possibilities of using Generative Artificial Intelligence or GAI in the evolving technology landscape. The recent advancements in the GAI landscape have shown immense promise in improving customer satisfaction with superior AI-powered communications and omnichannel service delivery. Leading brands are already familiar with the GAI capabilities and preparing in advance for the New Year 2024, hoping they are the first to supply their customers with world-class CX offerings. Zendesk, a leader in the CX technology software industry, has unfurled new GAI capabilities to integrate its AI solution with its entire product suite. The updates involve better data security and privacy to boost CX software adoption across high-growth industries.

Let’s look at Zendesk’s generative AI capabilities with the new features.

Faster Bot Deployment with Zendesk AI and Automation

Bot deployment is a key to customer service management in 2023. According to Gartner, nearly one-fourth of organizations would use chatbots as their primary channel for customer service. ChatGPT and Bard-like natural language programming-based tools would drive innovations in the customer service industry. Chatbots, virtual assistants, and conversational AI would automate and streamline bulk of digital conversations across the web, social, mobile, email, and messengers.

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The new Zendesk generative AI capabilities will empower the support, sales, and marketing teams with a good return on investments in voice and chatbot deployments.
For most organizations, the deployment of bots is a complex IT challenge. While chatbots can save up to 50% of overall customer support costs, a misconfigured bot deployment can be costly and a time-killer. That’s where Zendesk’s new Generative AI comes to the rescue. Contact centers can quickly deploy AI-powered bots that understand the granular-level requirements of every department, assisting agents with NLP-powered self-service automation and instant recommendations in real time.

The speed and ease of AI bots in customer service operations seamlessly supply answers to complex customer queries. This results in shorter call durations and increased customer loyalty. Overall, Zendesk AI runs on NLP algorithms (trained using billions of customer service interactions with Zendesk agents). It creates multiple options for agents to understand customer sentiments and enhance their CX goals with automation.

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At the time of this announcement, Tom Eggemeier, CEO of Zendesk, said, “Constant AI innovation is the new reality for CX leaders. While this promising technology unlocks incredible opportunities, it also adds pressure to deploy rapidly evolving capabilities in a timely manner and deliver meaningful business value. Zendesk is the best partner for businesses during this transformative time. We bring a powerful combination of deep CX and AI experience to provide capabilities that allow CX teams to be more efficient and empathetic. This improves customer and employee satisfaction and delivers cost efficiencies and revenue growth.”

AI Voice Interactions Set to be a Game-changer in Customer Service

AI for Voice in the customer service industry is a massive performance hack. It can enable a team of 300 support agents with excellent conversational AI capabilities to handle millions of interactions in a year. With the new features, AI for Voice by Zendesk would provide an intelligent self-trained ecosystem for assistants to capture and analyze customer interactions. Companies can create an Alexa or Siri-like experience with their voice assistants to reach diverse customer groups who prefer hands-free interaction. Moreover, international and domestic call centers can deploy an IVR-based system of chatbots and IVAs for multi-language customer support channels. It would enhance the quality of service with personalized recommendations and data analytics related to customer relationships and their sentiments.

With these Zendesk AI enhancements, agents can resolve requests faster and more consistently with contextually similar tickets. Additionally, admins can review AI-provided intent suggestions that address gaps in answers and adjust the bot tone to be more casual or professional to stay consistent with the brand persona.

Enterprise-grade Data Protection and Privacy Infrastructure

Good data infrastructure is a critical factor driving organizational success. Fraudulent calls, deep fake voices, robo-scams, and other malicious activities have put contact centers under the scanner. The industry loses millions of dollars annually due to fraud and data protection-related issues. Zendesk AI capabilities will safeguard contact centers and customers from losing their monies to fraud and dark web activities.

As the demand for AI-driven and personalized experiences grows, companies have understood that data security across the customer journey is an important task. As part of Zendesk’s commitment to trust and security, the company provides auditability, encryption, and business resilience and a variety of certifications, including FedRAMP and ISO certifications and compliance controls to meet HIPAA and GDPR requirements.

Zendesk Generative AI capabilities are safely embedded and controlled using an enterprise-grade data protection framework. It helps to build a safe and trustworthy CX environment where owners can take complete control of customer data with BYOK encryption options. Key capabilities include real-time log access, advanced data retention, data masking, and advanced encryption to maintain high-level data privacy standards.

As part of this release, Zendesk AI is expanding intent detection to additional industries and use cases, including Insurance, Travel/Tourism, and more. Companies in these industries can now take common intents and edit them for their specific needs, such as detecting frequently asked questions by travelers and escalating to agents who can handle these issues.

These capabilities will help businesses manage rapidly evolving data requirements accelerated by advances in AI. As the industry continues to evolve, Zendesk is committed to guiding companies through changing regulations and ensuring control and flexibility over how customer data is managed.

“There is a lot of value and power that generative AI and LLMs promise for businesses. However, we must set an example on building CX responsibly and guide our customers to reduce risk,” said Cristina Fonseca, Head of AI, Zendesk. “In line with our security principles and privacy framework, we have built-in safeguards and control for companies to set limits for bots. For example, when sensitive information (such as medical history) comes up, an agent must be brought into the customer conversation.”

What’s Next for Generative AI in CX in 2024

Everyone will remember 2023 as the year of ChatGPT. Zendesk, like HubSpot, Salesforce, and others, chose to scale its AI foundations by partnering with OpenAI. The partnership is the backbone of Zendesk Generative AI capabilities for CX offerings. As we head into the new year, we should expect GenAI to become more advanced and cutting-edge for bot deployment, voice, intelligent triage, and other services and solutions.

Watch out for our Predictions Series as we bring you top insights and forecasts from the industry.

[To share your insights with us, please write to sghosh@martechseries.com]

The post Zendesk Unfurls New CX Capabilities powered by Generative Artificial Intelligence appeared first on AiThority.

The emerging trends related to AI in Australia reveal the nation’s persistence in commercializing AI applications for better growth and prosperity. Australia is one of the fastest-growing AI innovation centers in the world. The rise of generative AI has proved to be a watershed moment in the evolution of AI and machine learning research in Australia. Today, Australia’s AI software and academic market is worth nearly $5 billion. By 2030, AI-based digital innovations could add around $315 billion to Australia’s national GDP. By 2025, Australia could spend $3.6 billion on its AI systems, bringing cutting-edge technologies to manufacturing, banking and finance, education, healthcare, media, and mobility. However, the citizens see AI technology differently. The current generation embraces AI with “cautious optimism,” as per the latest research.

According to a survey of 1,000 adult Australian citizens commissioned by UserTesting, only 38% would ever trust AI with finances, 33% with driving, and 30% with health-related searches. The same survey found that 24% of Aussies agree about sharing their personal and financial data for savings. However, 74% of AI users also fear for their privacy while interacting with AI tools and platforms. Clearly, user sentiments vary while using and embracing AI more openly in everyday lives in Australia.

The research on AI in Australia is hugely dependent on collaborations with China, the US, the UK, India, and Iran. UserTesting’s survey points to Australian consumer attitudes and experiences evaluated based on their interactions, user-friendliness, trust and privacy, and time management. For instance, the report mentioned that an average Aussie thinks AI could save them nearly an hour (57 minutes per day) daily. For most Aussies, AI is a great time-saver, and therefore, we are witnessing a growing awareness of AI’s capabilities that improve the quality and depth of life.

From a business point of view, 68% of Australian companies have AI systems in place, and another 23% plan to do so in 2024. 1 in 5 Aussies already understands the different AI capabilities meant for use in customer service, search phrase generation, recommendation, video game development, content creation, and so much more. Despite its popularity, AI has its own detractors, who harbor reservations against its limitless potential. While 28% confide in AI’s use in business and domestic lives, 36% have reservations. Most Aussies view AI with caution and a vigilant stance toward important personal decisions in finance, driving, and medical cases.

Smartphone usage for AI applications is a booming landscape in Australia. 74% of respondents use AI on their phones, while others access AI or related technologies through their smart TVs and desktops. Most Aussies choose AI for simple tasks involving email management and shopping experiences. As time progresses, AI could become a mainstay in personal and professional lives in Australian households.

Trust, and User-friendliness

Aussies and AI have a very nuanced relationship at the moment. The survey has captured the trust quotient among Aussies with AI. This trustworthiness is related to AI’s usefulness and how well Aussies understand the science behind AI and machine learning. 20% of Aussies say they know AI very well, and they can differentiate between voice assistants, chatbots, and gaming tools. 41% of Aussies mention they have a moderate familiarity with AI applications. But, a substantial percentage of AI users are either unsure or unsatisfied with AI’s role.

That’s where the grey area in AI lies — Trust, especially in critical aspects.

Nefarious activities involving the use of AI in deep fakes, ransomware, phishing, and financial frauds have dented public trust. Safety policies regarding trustworthy and responsible AI governance require collaboration between technology innovation companies, the government, and the users. For shopping, AI-powered platforms are considered intrusive. Personalized programmatic ads running on AI models overwhelm shoppers. Most shoppers think AI is breaching their privacy for data misuse and identity theft. Aussies had similar reservations with AI-powered targeted content promotion for healthcare and personalized medical solutions shown to patients. All these could limit the potential of AI tools while companies fail to build trust and governance for their AI models.

Conclusion

For AI to succeed in the Australian landscape, companies should put their AI ethics policy into practice. It is done by integrating technology with human, environmental, and social values, applied with fairness and transparency. The latest survey shows the immense scope in improving AI applications for the general Aussie families and organizations.

[To share your insights with us, please write to sghosh@martechseries.com]

The post Australians Rate AI Applications based on Trust, Friendliness, and Diversity appeared first on AiThority.

HCL, a global conglomerate and UpLink, the open innovation platform of the World Economic Forum, announced opening the applications for the Zero Water Waste Challenge – part of the Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative. The challenge calls for innovative water usage approaches to improve freshwater conservation from supply to demand, moving towards zero water waste. At the end of the challenge, 10 winners will receive a total financial award of 1.75M CHF.

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Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson, HCLTech said, “As the climate change continue to intensify and fresh-water resources become scarcer, the corporates have a unique opportunity to make a substantial difference in the world we live in. At HCL, we are committed to help resolve this global crisis. In partnership with UpLink, we are all set to announce the second edition of our Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative moving towards zero water waste. While our commitment to this vital cause is unwavering, we invite fellow organizations to join us in this shared mission, contributing essential funding and catalyzing widespread exposure.”

Gim Huay Neo, Managing Director of the Centre for Nature and Climate at the World Economic Forum said, “The Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative is building a vibrant innovation ecosystem for water which is crucial for the conservation and restoration of all-natural ecosystems. By connecting innovators, experts, investors and partners, this initiative is fast-tracking high-impact solutions to enhance water security. Already, we’re seeing significant impact with the ten winners of the first Innovation Challenge and we’re excited to surface and support a new cohort of aquapreneurs.”

The focus of this year’s challenge will be on:

• Capturing and protecting freshwater supply

Protecting groundwater reservoirs by capturing additional water resources. Solutions could focus on recharging groundwater, capturing storm- and rainwater or water from the atmosphere, preventing or minimizing leakages, boosting ecosystem resilience or monitoring and managing freshwater.

• Water re-use and recycling of materials

Increase water-efficiency by reusing and recycling water resources. Solutions could include products that enable shower, washing machine and sink water to be recycled for non-potable uses, or reuse of water in industrial facilities, cleaner and greener tech to purify reused water, etc. Ideally need to manage trade-offs, e.g. need to have sustainable energy support, as well as focus on water quality.

• Saving water in agriculture

Reduce water withdrawal in agriculture through smart irrigation. Solutions could include precision irrigation, remote sensing, regenerative agricultural practices focused on water retention, and technologies such as mobile applications to optimize the amount and timing of water applied to crops. ​

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Evaluation and selection criteria for 2^nd year will include:

I. Organizational structure

• Financially viable business model: solution demonstrates a sustainable business model and revenue approach, and presents proof of funding history, as well as investable opportunities for investors or philanthropic funders.
• Stage: beyond the ideation phase and demonstrating the potential to scale and achieve long-term financial viability, impact, and sustainability. UpLink Top Innovators have typically reached the pilot to growth/scale phase of their operations.
• Management team: committed, diverse and values driven management team with the right skillset and demonstrated execution capabilities, and including local staff, or the willingness to work with local stakeholders.
• Measurement and standards verification: solution demonstrates a clear impact monitoring, evaluation, and verification framework. The metrics and indicators should be tracked transparently, reference and apply relevant, robust standards, and receive independent credentialing and third-party verification.
• Governance and operating models: solution has a legal entity attached to the project or technology. The operating model shows the extent to which the project has achieved financial viability and sustainable revenue streams or has a vision and plan for achieving it.

II. Key characteristics:

• Innovative: while many water technologies already exist, innovation is needed in service, pricing, partnerships, and business models.
• Replicability: submissions from across the globe that are scalable in their local contexts and potentially replicable in different parts of the world.
• Holistic and sustainable impact: solution demonstrates ‘win-win’ benefits for multiple agendas, particularly society and the environment. Solution supports the water agenda in the long term, delivering impact that outlasts the length of the challenge.
• External risk: solution is aware of any risks and uncertainties associated with achieving the desired outcomes.

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 [To share your insights with us, please write to sghosh@martechseries.com] 

The post HCL and UpLink Call for Applications Globally for Second Challenge of Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative appeared first on AiThority.

Salesforce is on a roll in the ChatGPT-era. After enthralling business group users for 10 years, Salesforce’s instant messaging platform, Slack app is finally getting a makeover that will delight the new-gen workforce. Considered the ultimate go-to business communication and collaboration tool since its inception, Slack’s usability is moving a notch higher in the next few weeks.What was conceived as “linefeed” in 2012, soon became Slack in 2013 – short for “Searchable Log of All Conversation and Knowledge.” In 2021, Salesforce acquired Slack to reinforce its position as the world’s most efficient Cloud-based technology stack provider. Slack’s current owner, Salesforce, has announced new upgrades will arrive shortly, focusing on three major areas of work:

1. Easy navigation
2. Better accessibility to modern tools
3. Smooth UX with uninterrupted conversations

So, what would the new Slack app look like? Here’s our take.

Millions of users rely on Slack app for their instant messaging actions. Every day, Slack platform registers one billion usage minutes from 12+ million daily active users.

If Googling is for everything on the Internet, Zooming for videos and meetings, it wouldn’t be wrong to state that “Slack-ing” is for the pain points that Slack app addresses in the modern internal communications and direct messaging. And, that’s going to become more focused now with Slack app’s upgraded features.

Based on our initial review, it looks evident that Slack app is focusing on the remote workforce who rely on the platform for their regular business chat-based communications and video meetings. No doubt that Slack is built on a robust foundation for instant messaging, however, its UI UX and information overload management needed a massive correction. In an era where Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace are growing their footprints across multiple functions, Salesforce chose to opt for a WhatsApp-esque template to delight its users.

The new Slack app design is built for teams that want to stay focused on business communications and improve their productivity with minimal interruptions. Slack users would actually know about the pain of managing countless notifications from different groups, and the over-stimulating experience new users face at the beginning.

Knocking out the “Search bar” to a grouped tab

Slack’s search is a lightning fast feature on the app. However, its search field on the mobile app version is slightly sluggish and at times, unresponsive, compared to the desktop version. That’s why, it needed a new placement for sleeker navigation.

Search bar in the new Slack app is moving out from the top of the screen to the new focused tab section where it would be grouped together with other features.

Pick your own “important” tabs

Slack users can now have a unified view of their conversations, mentions, canvas, and threads without blurring their line of activities from direct messages. Yes, Slack app is now refining the UI UX to bring every channel and conversation on the Home. This would simplify navigation for the senior managers who have to handle direct messages as well as groups from different departments.

Improved time management with efficient responses

Like your business email inbox, Slack DMs and group notifications can quickly get crowded. Reading all the DMs at once may not be the best way to manage your precious time. That’s why the new Slack app has added dedicated views to manage conversations that require immediate attention.  If you don’t have the bandwidth to read and respond to a message or chat, you can simplify save it as “Later” — a feature that archives your unread messages at one place that you can read later at a specific time.

One-click access to all your favorite tools and buttons

Finding your favorite tools on Slack is becoming easy.

The app is adding a “create” button to start new conversations with a single-touch action.

Working in Slack is becoming personalized and more effortless as GPT and other capabilities become mainstream within the app ecosystem powered by Salesforce data.

The post Smooth, Sauve, and WhatsApp-esque – That’s the New Upcoming Slack App for You appeared first on AiThority.

When it comes to streaming entertainment, the power of real-time insights is humongous, and the most powerful medium channelizing it is OTT platforms. The global market for over-the-top devices and services is set to hit a whopping USD 1,079.1 billion by 2030! That’s a big jump, with a CAGR of 24.3% from 2023 to 2030, as per Grand View Research, Inc.

Do you know why?

The increasing availability of high-speed broadband internet has got everyone hooked on online streaming platforms, and that’s driving the OTT devices and services market’s growth like crazy!

It all started with the pandemic. It made people even more interested in OTT services for their entertainment fixes, leading to a massive change in how we consume content. And then comes the most enticing reason – variety. Companies are always throwing in exciting content to keep up with the huge demand from customers who want more variety!

Read: Customer Service vs. Sales: Who Uses AI More?

Let’s take up the case of Netflix. It became a household name worldwide in recent times. But what makes this platform stand out is its clever use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance the customer experience.

From personalized recommendations to seamless streaming, Netflix constantly evolves to keep its users engaged and satisfied. In this article, we’ll explore five exciting ways Netflix is leveraging AI to deliver an even better viewing experience for its audience.

Tailored Recommendations

Have you ever wondered how Netflix seems to know exactly what you want to watch next? It’s all thanks to AI-driven recommendation algorithms. Netflix analyzes your viewing history, preferences, and even the time of day you watch to curate a personalized list of suggestions. By understanding your unique taste, AI ensures you’re never at a loss for what to watch next.

According to Netflix’s tech blog, the recommendation algorithm uses machine learning models to predict your preferences accurately. It’s like having a personal movie guru who always knows what you’re in the mood for, making your streaming experience all the more enjoyable.

Seamless Streaming with Adaptive Bitrate

Buffering can be the ultimate buzzkill when you’re engrossed in your favorite show. Luckily, Netflix uses AI to combat this annoyance through Adaptive Bitrate (ABR) streaming. AI algorithms analyze your internet connection speed and device capabilities in real-time, adjusting the video quality accordingly.

By dynamically adapting the video bitrate, Netflix ensures smooth streaming regardless of fluctuations in your internet connection. The result? You get to binge-watch your favorite series uninterrupted, whether you’re on a shaky Wi-Fi connection or a lightning-fast fiber optic network.

Personalized Thumbnails

Have you ever noticed that the cover images for shows and movies on Netflix seem custom-made for you? Well, that’s because they are! Netflix employs AI-powered personalized thumbnails to entice viewers further. By analyzing your viewing history, AI selects thumbnails that are most likely to capture your attention.

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According to a Netflix Tech Blog post, the platform conducts A/B tests on different thumbnail options for each title, optimizing the image selection for each viewer. So, the next time you find yourself clicking on a show solely based on its eye-catching thumbnail, remember that AI has played its part in making the decision process a little more exciting.

Enhanced Customer Support with AI Chatbots

Netflix’s commitment to providing top-notch customer support is elevated with the help of AI chatbots. These intelligent virtual assistants are available 24/7 to address your queries and concerns promptly. By understanding natural language, AI chatbots engage in human-like conversations, guiding you through troubleshooting steps or answering billing inquiries.

According to a survey by HubSpot, 47% of customers are open to receiving customer service from a chatbot, provided it resolves their issue effectively. Netflix embraces this trend to ensure its users get the assistance they need when they need it, all while keeping their binge-watching experience hassle-free.

Smart Content Creation and Recommendation

Ever wondered how Netflix consistently churns out hit original series and movies?

The secret lies in data-driven content creation. By analyzing viewership patterns and preferences, AI helps Netflix identify content gaps and tailor its original productions to cater to different audiences.

Moreover, AI plays a role in recommending content to production teams, helping them gauge potential audience interest and optimize their storytelling approach. This data-driven content creation ensures that Netflix continues to offer a diverse range of high-quality content that resonates with its global user base.

In A Nutshell

As technology continues to move upwards, Netflix’s innovative use of AI is shaping the future of entertainment. From providing personalized recommendations to enhancing customer support, AI is at the core of Netflix’s commitment to improving the customer experience. By leveraging the power of AI, Netflix ensures that viewers stay engaged, satisfied, and continuously delighted with the ever-growing library of content.

So, the next time you queue up your favorite show, take a moment to appreciate the behind-the-scenes magic of AI that makes your Netflix experience truly exceptional. With AI as its trusty sidekick, Netflix continues to redefine the world of streaming entertainment, one binge-watch at a time.

The post 5 Ways Netflix is Using AI to Improve Customer Experience appeared first on AiThority.

The campaign using PhotoRoom’s API signifies new opportunities for brands to harness generative AI to create personalized, immersive experiences on a global scale.

PhotoRoom, an artificial intelligence (AI)-based photo editing app, joined forces with Warner Bros. and their marketing agency Bond to create the official filter that allowed fans to turn themselves into Barbie characters, ahead of the widely anticipated release of the Barbie movie. The AI-powered selfie generator, released on April 3rd, 2023, signifies PhotoRoom’s huge potential usage for the creative and marketing industries.

The interactive tool, barbieselfie.ai, which has been used over 13 million times, took less than an hour to implement and provided fans with an instant, sharable Barbie-aesthetic image, with the same quality as the promotional posters for the film’s cast. As a result, Warner Bros. achieved a not-to-be-missed viral, global moment that resulted in fans, brands, influencers, and celebrities – including Rihanna and Pedro Pascal – participating in this cultural phenomenon.

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“PhotoRoom always set out to make photo-editing easy and flawless”, said Matthieu Rouif, CEO of PhotoRoom. “We started by helping small businesses, and it’s amazing to see some of the most well-known companies in the world using our technology. The biggest challenges marketing teams face with user-generated campaigns are maintaining quality and protecting the integrity of the brand. With PhotoRoom, brands can scale user-generated content like never before.”

To create the selfie generator, PhotoRoom’s API provided Warner Bros with the ability to remove backgrounds from user-generated content. PhotoRoom’s ability to handle millions of API calls, and superior output quality were instrumental in meeting Warner Bros.’s creative needs. The filter Warner Bros. used to create a viral moment showcased the ability for other brands to use visual AI to create a personalized and immersive user experience at a global scale.

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“PhotoRoom shattered all expectations by seamlessly integrating user photos into captivating Barbie movie posters. Its unparalleled ease of use became the catalyst, propelling the Barbie Selfie Generator into the digital spotlight and captivating audiences worldwide,” said Cameron Curtis, EVP of Worldwide Digital Marketing at Warner Bros. “There are boundless opportunities to harness the power of generative AI for our upcoming campaigns. Its potential to create captivating and personalized experiences is truly remarkable, opening doors to innovative storytelling and audience engagement that were once unimaginable.”

Downloaded more than 80 million times globally from mobile app stores, PhotoRoom has become increasingly popular among small businesses, e-commerce vendors and content creators to create high-quality product imagery. Now the Paris-based business is looking to expand its API offering, bringing the category-leading technology to more global brands across many industries.

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[To share your insights with us, please write to sghosh@martechseries.com]

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