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Are you a call centre worker who struggles with angry customers? SoftBank has created a new AI technology to stifle all the whinging!
SoftBank Develops AI to Alleviate Call Center Stress
SoftBank Corp. has announced the development of an innovative AI technology designed to alleviate stress for call centre operators by altering the voices of angry customers to sound calmer. The AI does not change the words spoken but adjusts the pitch and inflection to soften the tone, making hostile interactions less stressful for operators. This development comes as a response to the increasing psychological burden on call center staff dealing with customer harassment.
Improving Customer Interactions with Emotion-Canceling AI
The AI technology, which has been in development for three years, was trained using over 10,000 pieces of voice data to recognize and convert various emotional expressions. By modifying vocal tones, the AI aims to prevent the intense stress caused by abusive language and prolonged complaints. The technology also includes a feature to send warning messages if conversations become too lengthy or abusive, helping operators manage their workload more effectively.
Future of AI in Customer Service
While the AI offers significant improvements in managing customer interactions, SoftBank acknowledges that it cannot fully replace human operators. Customers often seek human apologies, which AI cannot provide. However, the company hopes that the AI will serve as a “mental shield” to protect operators from excessive stress. SoftBank plans to refine the technology further and aims to commercialise it by fiscal 2025.
(Visit the Asahi Shimbun for the full story)
*An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.
