Episode #460: Voice First, Future Forward: The AI Agents Are Here

I, Stewart Alsop, welcomed Alex Levin, CEO and co-founder of Regal, to this episode of the Crazy Wisdom Podcast to discuss the fascinating world of AI phone agents. Alex shared some incredible insights into how AI is already transforming customer interactions and what the future holds for company agents, machine-to-machine communication, and even the nature of knowledge itself.

Check out this GPT we trained on the conversation!

Timestamps

00:29 Alex Levin shares that people are often more honest with AI agents than human agents, especially regarding payments.
02:41 The surprising persistence of voice as a preferred channel for customer interaction, and how AI is set to revolutionize it.
05:15 Discussion of the three types of AI agents: personal, work, and company agents, and how conversational AI will become the main interface with brands.
07:12 Exploring the shift to machine-to-machine interactions and how AI changes what knowledge humans need versus what machines need.
10:56 The looming challenge of centralization versus decentralization in AI, and how Americans often prioritize experience over privacy.
14:11 Alex explains how tokenized data can offer personalized experiences without compromising specific individual privacy.
25:44 Voice is predicted to become the primary way we interact with brands and technology due to its naturalness and efficiency.
33:21 Why AI agents are easier to implement in contact centers due to different entropy compared to typical software.
38:13 How Regal ensures AI agents stay on script and avoid "hallucinations" by proper training and guardrails.
46:11 The technical challenges in replicating human conversational latency and nuances in AI voice interactions.

Key Insights

AI Elicits Honesty
People tend to be more forthright with AI agents, particularly in financially sensitive situations like discussing overdue payments. Alex speculates this is because individuals may feel less judged by an AI, leading to more truthful disclosures compared to interactions with human agents.

Voice is King, AI is its Heir
Despite predictions of its decline, voice remains a dominant channel for customer interactions. Alex believes that within three to five years, AI will handle as much as 90% of these voice interactions, transforming customer service with its efficiency and availability.

The Rise of Company Agents
The primary interface with most brands is expected to shift from websites and apps to conversational AI agents. This is because voice is a more natural, faster, and emotive way for humans to interact, a behavior already seen in younger generations.

Machine-to-Machine Future
We're moving towards a world where AI agents representing companies will interact directly with AI agents representing consumers. This "machine-to-machine" (M2M) paradigm will redefine commerce and the nature of how businesses and customers engage.

Ontology of Knowledge
As AI systems process vast amounts of information, creating a clear "ontology of knowledge" becomes crucial. This means structuring and categorizing information so AI can understand the context and user's underlying intent, rather than just processing raw data.

Tokenized Data for Privacy
A potential solution to privacy concerns is "tokenized data." Instead of providing AI with specific personal details, users could share generalized tokens (e.g., "high-intent buyer in 30s") that allow for personalized experiences without revealing sensitive, identifiable information.

AI Highlights Human Inconsistencies
Implementing AI often brings to light existing inconsistencies or unacknowledged issues within a company. For instance, AI might reveal discrepancies between official scripts and how top-performing human agents actually communicate, forcing companies to address these differences.

Influence as a Key Human Skill
In a future increasingly shaped by AI, Sam Altman (via Alex) suggests that the ability to "influence" others will be a paramount human skill. This uniquely human trait will be vital, whether for interacting with other people or for guiding and shaping AI systems.

Contact Information
*   Regal AI: regal.ai
*   Email: hello@regal.ai
*   LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alexlevin1/