What is an AI Voice Bot? Explanation and Use Cases

Are you searching for a solution to streamline your customer interactions through the phone call? BSG team is glad to introduce you to AI Voice Bot – a solution for business that utilizes artificial intelligence to comprehend human speech and generate a corresponding response.??

AI Voice Bot can handle incoming calls to answer questions using human language to interact, and they can also make outbound calls to inform customers about promotions, remind them of events, and even make sales. Overall, AI Voice Bot represents a further development of conversational AI technology. Find the best AI news: what is special about a fully AI Voice Bot, its use cases for different business industries, its pros and cons, and comparison with a human assistant.

AI Voice Bot vs Voice Bot??

Voice bots can be divided into two classes based on the extent to which artificial intelligence is used in their operation. So, below will be a short comparison of Conversational AI Voice Bot and Voice Bot:

AI-Powered Voice Bots (Voice Bots)?

Voice bots use AI to understand human speech. The neural network in these bots is used to understand natural human speech and to vocalize the response (translate text information into a natural-sounding voice).??

Once the conversational AI bot can grasp the meaning of what has been said and understand the speaker’s intent, it selects the most appropriate response from a set of pre-prepared responses.??

The bot conducts the dialogue itself according to pre-written rules, i.e., it follows a script, just as a human would. However, unlike a human, a Voice Bot cannot deviate from the script.??

For simplicity, we will refer to this type of bot simply as a “Voice Bot”.??

AI-Based Voice Bots (AI Voice Bot)?

This type of conversational voice assistant uses neural networks not only to understand what is being said but also to generate responses. It can conduct dialogues of any complexity and answer even unforeseen questions that were not written in the script.??

We will refer to this type of bot as an “AI Voice Bot”.??

Both types of bots use artificial intelligence, but they use different types of it. Both types of bots use conversational AI to understand humans. The difference is that AI-based Voice Bots use generative AI to generate responses, unlike typical Voice Bot.??

This type of voice bot can rightfully be called a full-fledged AI Voice Bot. After all, neural networks are used at all stages of interaction between the machine and the human.??

Conversational AI — a neural network that uses automatic speech recognition, natural language understanding, and natural language processing technologies. Its goal is to understand what a person is saying and what they mean.??

Generative AI — a neural network that works with data and text. Its goal is to generate responses to user requests based on a huge database and millions of connections between them. Typically, a large language model (LLM) is used in this role. In the following, the terms Generative AI and LLM will be used synonymously.??

How Does the Voice Bots Work

AI Voice Bot employs the same innovations as rule-based Voice Bots to understand spoken language:?

• ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition) for recognizing spoken language.?
• NLP (Natural Language Processing) for processing natural language.?
• NLU (Natural Language Understanding) for comprehending natural language.?
• TTS (Text-to-Speech) for converting text responses into voice.? ?

In contrast, the AI Voice Bot uses a large language model (LLM) for response generation, granting it flexibility beyond scripted interactions, unlike traditional Voice Bots constrained by predetermined scripts. Despite their technological similarities in response generation, let’s explore how each bot delivers responses uniquely:?

Voice Bots??

In an AI-powered conversational AI bot, the system first identifies the user’s intent (what they want to achieve) and then selects a pre-recorded response that matches that intent. This process involves the following steps:??

1. Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR): The voice input is converted into text using ASR technology.??
2. Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Natural Language Understanding (NLU): NLP and NLU techniques are applied to understand the meaning and intent behind the user’s utterance.
3. Intent Interpretation and Response Selection: Once the intent is understood, the system selects the most appropriate response from a set of pre-recorded options.??
4. Text-to-Speech (TTS): The selected response is converted into speech using TTS technology or by playing a pre-recorded audio file.?
5. For example, you can consider the following user queries:??

• “What’s the weather like today?”??
• “Will it rain today?”??
• “Should I bring an umbrella?”??

In all three cases, the user intends to obtain the weather forecast. The voice bot, upon identifying this intent, might respond with the current temperature and the probability of rain (e.g., “It’s 22 degrees Celsius, and there’s a 10% chance of rain today”).??

AI Voice Bots??

AI voice bots, on the other hand, employ generative neural networks to enable more flexible and dynamic dialogues. The process involved in AI voice bots is as follows:??

1. Speech Recognition (ASR): Similar to script-based voice bots, ASR technology converts the user’s voice into text.??
2. Natural Language Processing and Understanding (NLP/NLU): NLP techniques are used to comprehend the meaning of the user’s utterance the same as Voice Bot.?
3. Generative Neural Network: The processed text is fed into a generative neural network.??
4. Response Generation: The Generative AI, based on its knowledge base and the user’s request, generates an appropriate response.??
5. Text-to-Speech (TTS): The generated response is converted into speech using TTS technology and played back to the user, similar to Voice Bots.?

What’s the Difference???

The crucial distinction between AI-powered Voice Bot and AI-based Voice Bot lies in their approach to response generation:??

• Voice Bots: Rely on pre-recorded responses, limiting the flexibility and personalization of interactions.??
• AI Voice Bots: Utilize generative AI to dynamically create responses, enabling more natural and engaging conversations.??

Voice Bot Use Cases??

Voice Bot??

Regular Voice Bot is typically employed for outbound calls handling relatively straightforward tasks that require high throughput. Common use cases for AI in marketing include:??

• Promotional Calls: Contacting a large base of potential customers to promote products or services and collect feedback quickly.??
• Informational Calls: Notifying a large group of customers about important updates or changes without the need for two-way interaction.??
• Leads Validation: Verifying contact information and gauging customer interest in specific offerings. Qualifying leads for further engagement by live agents.??
• Customer Reactivation: Re-engaging inactive customers through personalized offers or incentives to encourage repeat business.??
• Feedback Collection: Conducting surveys and polls to gather customer insights and improve service offerings.??

AI Voice Bot??

AI Voice Bots, with their ability to handle complex dialogues and adapt to dynamic interactions, are suitable for both inbound and outbound calls. They offer greater flexibility and personalization compared to Voice Bots. Key how to use AI for marketing include:??

• Customer Support: Providing immediate assistance to callers, answering questions, resolving issues, and processing orders.??

• Lead Generation: Qualifying leads by identifying customer needs and preferences, scheduling appointments, and routing qualified leads to sales teams.??
• Sales, Upselling, and Cross-selling: Offering products and services, scheduling demos, and handling transactions, including payment processing.??

Voice Bot vs. AI Voice Bot: Dialogue Examples?

Let’s consider the same use case and how each bot would handle it to illustrate the difference between the two types of bots:?

Voice Bot – Simple dialog example:?

— Hello, my name is Eva, and I’m from Easy English. We currently have a promotion offering a free express course, “Conversational English.” During this course, we will teach you to speak fluently with native speakers, even with a limited vocabulary. Are you interested???

— Yes, I’m interested. (Positive response)???

— Great, I will send you an SMS with detailed information and a registration link. The course starts on Monday and lasts for three days. You will be able to interact with native speakers and overcome communication barriers.??

The client might respond positively or negatively to the bot’s offer or ask a question, which is quite natural.??

If the client agrees, everything is fine, and the goal is achieved.???

However, if the client says they are not interested, understanding the reason is possible, but the Voice Bot cannot handle objections with a script, as it is impossible to anticipate all possible dialogue scenarios. The same applies to counter-questions that the client is likely to ask.??

In these situations, the standard Voice Bot cannot continue the dialogue effectively and will resort to a generic response, such as:??

— I’m not sure, when do the lessons start, and what do they include? (Uncertain response)???

— Let me send you an SMS with all the course details, so you can better understand the benefits it can offer you.??

Another example:??

— Are the native speakers from the USA or the UK? (Uncertain response)???

— Let me send you an SMS with all the course details, so you can better understand the benefits it can offer you.??

Obviously, a generic response is not always suitable, and some clients will not get the information they need.??

AI Voice Bot – Complex dialog example?

Now, let’s see how an AI Voice Bot would handle the same situation:??

— Are the native speakers from the USA or the UK????

— That’s a great question, and it’s an important detail. We have invited speakers from the USA, the UK, and Canada. This way, we aim to provide a wide variety and help you learn to understand different English dialects.??

This is not a generic response but a specific answer to the user’s query. It doesn’t matter how many variations of questions there are or how they are phrased. All the AI Voice Bot needs to handle objections or answer questions is a knowledge base. Like a human, it will find a way to respond appropriately.??

Example for the incoming call??

The AI Voice Bot can adapt to the customer’s questions and provide personalized information, making the interaction more natural and engaging.??

— Hello, I’m here to help you learn English. Can you tell me a bit about your current English-speaking skills and your goals for this course??

— I’m a beginner, and I want to be able to hold basic conversations with native speakers.?

— Excellent! Our ‘Conversational English’ course is designed for beginners like you. It focuses on practical communication skills and building confidence in everyday conversations. Would you like to know more about the course content??

— Yes, and what about the teachers? Are they native speakers??

— Yes, all our instructors are native speakers from the US, UK, and Canada. We believe in exposing you to different accents to enhance your listening comprehension. Would you like to schedule a free trial lesson??

Advantages and Disadvantages??

Benefits of Voice Bot??

Compared to other communication channels, Voice Bot as an AI marketing tool has several undeniable advantages:??

• Provides customer feedback: Voice Bot ensures direct feedback from customers.??
• High call volume: It can make significantly more calls than a human.??
• Conveys rich information: Voice communication can transmit a large amount of information and use emotions to enhance the effect.??
• High delivery rate: The information delivery rate via phone calls is higher than through SMS and even more so compared to email.??
• Multilingual capability: Voice Bot can communicate in multiple languages.??
• Scalability: Voice Bot scales well and quickly, with no issues regarding new languages or geographical areas.??

Drawbacks of Voice Bot??

No tool is perfect, and Voice Bot has its disadvantages:??

• Script limitations: Voice Bot can only operate within the confines of its script. Any unforeseen questions from users will result in the bot responding with a standard phrase or suggesting switching to a live agent.??
• Language switching constraints: Switching to another language can only occur once at the beginning of the conversation when the bot asks the customer for their preferred language. The bot cannot dynamically switch languages at the user’s request.??
• Inability to handle complex incoming calls: Voice Bot cannot handle incoming calls that involve complex cases with numerous tasks and questions.??

Additional Benefits of AI Voice Bot

In addition to the already mentioned advantages, AI Voice Bot offers several more due to the use of a large language model (LLM):??

• Dialogue flexibility: Without a rigid algorithm, AI Voice Bot can answer any question, regardless of how it is phrased or at what point in the conversation it is asked. It can clarify the necessary data from the user and handle objections.??
• Dynamic language switching: AI Voice Bot can switch to another language at any moment during the conversation.??
• Handling complex incoming calls: Due to its flexibility, AI Voice Bot can handle incoming calls, answer customer questions, and provide consultations.??
• Ease of configuration and updates: Making changes to AI Voice Bot is simpler because it involves editing the knowledge base and the bot’s primary prompt rather than a large and complex script. This allows for faster adaptation to customer requirements compared to script-based bots.??

Drawbacks of AI Voice Bot??

There are only two drawbacks to AI Voice Bot, but they are important to mention:??

• Higher cost: AI Voice Bot is more expensive than a simple Voice Bot due to the use of generative AI and the necessary infrastructure.??
• Slower response time: The speed of its responses is somewhat slower, as there are no pre-prepared answers, they are generated by the Large Language Model, which takes time.??

In summary, voice bots are suitable for straightforward, high-volume tasks, while AI voice bots excel in complex, personalized interactions. The choice between the two depends on the specific needs and goals of the conversational AI solutions for business or application.??

Business Niches for Voice Bots

Voice bots are beneficial for businesses with a high volume of both incoming and outgoing communications. Here are some typical tasks voice bots can handle across various business sectors.??

e-Learning??

Online education often involves a complex customer engagement process, starting with offering a free lesson or webinar at the top of the funnel. AI in e-learning can launch your marketing campaign more easily.?

• Voice Bot: Reminds clients of their registration for webinars, increasing attendance rates. It can also collect feedback and inform clients about other events or promotions.??
• AI Voice Bot: Can handle sales and upsells by answering client questions and encouraging them to enroll in courses, thanks to its greater flexibility.??

Finance / Fintech??

AI in finance common use cases include marketing calls to potential clients. Depending on the product’s complexity, both AI-based Voice Bots and AI-powered Voice Bots can be effective AI for finance companies.??

Credit Collection: Voice Bots are typically used for reminding clients about debts (pre-collection) and can efficiently handle these tasks with basic voice feedback capabilities.??

Insurance??

Typical tasks for AI in insurance sector include automatic policy renewals and selling simple but high-volume insurance products like auto or travel insurance.??

• Voice Bot: Calls clients to remind them of policy expiration and offers renewal options.??
• AI Voice Bot: Can handle questions and objections, thereby facilitating sales.??

Investments??

AI for investing is needed for frequent client contact and extensive information sharing before a deal is closed.??

• AI Voice Bot: Engages in lead generation, while company managers handle the final deal closure.??

e-Commerce??

Voice bots, powered by AI, are revolutionizing how businesses communicate with customers by providing personalized and efficient shopping support. AI in ecommerce is useful for marketplaces or large online stores.??

• Voice Bot: Makes marketing calls to inform clients about promotions and discounts.??

• AI Voice Bot: Manages abandoned cart cases, loyalty programs, and personalized offers for website visitors.??

Health & Beauty??

Artificial Intelligence in healthcare (Voice Bot) can:??

• Consult Clients: Provide consultations and schedule appointments.??
• Reminders: Remind clients about upcoming appointments.??

Customer Support??

For any business, handling incoming calls efficiently without breaking the bank is crucial. This includes answering frequently asked questions and providing product or service consultations. So there are examples of AI in customer service.?

• AI Voice Bot: Only an AI Voice Bot with generative AI can handle these tasks due to the need for dynamic and personalized responses.??

AI Voice Bot vs Human??

This raises the question: is a generative AI-powered Voice Bot better than a human????

Despite AI advancements, humans still excel in tasks like sales and customer consultations.???

However, humans cannot make or receive tens of thousands of calls per day.??

Optimal Approach: The best results come from role separation — AI Voice Bots handle routine tasks, such as initial inquiries and reminders, while humans manage complex interactions.??

Conclusion??

Both types of Voice Bots can address a wide range of business-critical tasks, each with its strengths and weaknesses. More companies will adopt voice bots for customer communications shortly due to their efficiency and cost-effectiveness.???

Voice bots are not meant to completely replace humans but rather to significantly support and enhance human work.