Visualize a customer-service center that breaks language barriers effortlessly.
In Irvine, California, Alorica, a global customer-service center operator, has introduced an artificial intelligence translation tool that enables representatives to communicate with customers who speak 200 different languages and 75 dialects.
With this technology, an Alorica representative who only speaks Spanish can effectively handle inquiries from a Cantonese speaker in Hong Kong regarding a malfunctioning printer or an incorrect bank statement, without the need to hire a Cantonese-speaking representative.
This exemplifies the incredible power of AI, and perhaps the concern of potential job reduction. However, contrary to expectations, Alorica is not reducing jobs; in fact, it is actively hiring more employees.
The successful implementation of AI at Alorica and other companies, like IKEA, indicates that AI may not necessarily cause mass job loss. Instead, it could follow the pattern of past technological advancements, creating new job opportunities while making workers more proficient overall, benefiting both employees and employers.
Economist Nick Bunker from Indeed Hiring Lab believes that AI will impact many jobs indirectly, but not result in widespread unemployment. Historical technological revolutions did not lead to high unemployment rates; rather, they created new job prospects.
Artificial intelligence empowers machines to perform tasks that once required human intelligence. This technology, which originated in the 1950s, has evolved over the years to include voice assistants like Siri, advanced computers like Deep Blue, and the cutting-edge ChatGPT introduced by OpenAI in 2022.
Despite concerns that AI chatbots may replace service workers, the predicted job losses have not materialized on a large scale yet. The White House Council of Economic Advisers and studies by prominent economists indicate that AI is more likely to enhance productivity, spur economic growth, and create new job categories than drastically reduce overall employment.
While some instances, like Suumit Shah’s implementation of a chatbot at Dukaan, showcase significant job transformation and efficiency gains, studies also show that AI can complement human work rather than replace it. IKEA’s utilization of a customer-service chatbot and a study by Stanford University and MIT reveal that AI can make workers more efficient and productive, leading to enhanced customer service experiences.
Alorica’s Real-time Voice Language Translation tool is revolutionizing customer service by bridging linguistic gaps between customers and representatives, without the need to hire multilingual staff externally. Despite adopting advanced technology, Alorica continues to actively recruit new employees, emphasizing the importance of embracing technological innovation while acknowledging the need for human touch in customer interactions.
—Paul Wiseman, AP Economics Writer
