AI and communication platforms are driving business evolution

While automation raises concerns about job displacement, it is also driving demand for new skill sets. The growing need for AI engineers, data scientists and digital communication specialists is prompting the rise of upskilling initiatives designed to align the workforce to meet industry needs. Innovative technology and next-generation communication platforms have the potential to play a critical role in empowering South African businesses. Future developments in the AI Agents roadmap include the introduction of a specialized marketplace offering industry-specific agents, such as those designed for real estate lead qualification, e-commerce return management, and B2B appointment scheduling.

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The retailer can choose to replace the item or knock some money off what you paid rather than giving you a refund. But if they do this once and you’re still not satisfied, they have to refund you in full. If you receive a faulty item or it doesn’t match the description or quality, you’ve got 30 days to return it and get a full refund. You told me the item in question cost you £11, which might seem like a small amount to some people, but it will make a difference to others who need every penny to keep up with bills and the cost of living. As companies move towards AI-powered everything, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to speak to an actual human when you need help.

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This story originally appeared on Ars Technica, a trusted source for technology news, tech policy analysis, reviews, and more. The new Gemini-fueled Verizon chatbot will still let customers talk to a real human upon request. But a Reddit post from 11 days ago from an apparent Rogers employee affected, claimed they were one of the more than 1,000 laid-off agents paints a different picture. If you just change your mind and want to return an item, the retailer will offer you a credit note instead of a cash refund.

AI and communications technology are rapidly converging to create proactive, personalised, omnipresent and secure customer experiences. The goal is to ensure accessibility across all customer touchpoints, whether voice, video or messaging, while remaining adaptable and data-driven for seamless business integration. The goal is for customers to contact Verizon once, and for the champion to then provide updates via the My Verizon app, text messages, or call backs. The idea is that this chatbot service will be able to quickly complete tasks that typically need to be handled by human service reps, providing a more efficient and flexible experience for customers. Dory Butler, senior vice president of customer experience at Verizon, told The Verge that the Verizon AI assistant will transfer customers to a human agent either upon request or if it’s unable to handle the enquiry it’s been given.

In this week’s Money Problem, personal finance journalist and consumer champion, Sarah Davidson, offers her advice on breaking the stalemate. “Logging into Cursor on one machine immediately invalidates the session on any other machine,” BrokenToasterOven wrote in a message that was later deleted by r/cursor moderators. This marks the latest instance of AI confabulations (also called “hallucinations”) causing potential business damage. Confabulations are a type of “creative gap-filling” response where AI models invent plausible-sounding but false information. Instead of admitting uncertainty, AI models often prioritize creating plausible, confident responses, even when that means manufacturing information from scratch.

• This has resulted in enhanced digital engagement and improved customer convenience.
• By integrating memory and adaptive reasoning, the agents are capable of handling nested queries, maintaining context over extended conversations, and escalating issues when human input becomes necessary.
• They can remember past conversations, manage contextual information, and execute goal-based actions, such as scheduling appointments, qualifying leads, or handling service requests.
• It allows companies to effectively segment and serve audiences, ensuring seamless interactions across platforms.

While Rogers didn’t say how many people were let go, the company insists that “there is no impact to its internal customer-service team,” according to spokesperson Zac Carreiro. This means if you buy anything costing more than £100 and less than £30,000 on your credit card, you can get your money back from your card provider instead of chasing the retailer if something goes wrong. As these technologies continue to evolve, their role in enhancing customer engagement and optimising business operations will further solidify their role in South Africa’s digital transformation landscape.

Notably, AI-driven innovation is fuelling a thriving startup ecosystem in South Africa, especially in fintech, healthtech and digital commerce. University-led innovation hubs are fostering collaboration and driving new use cases, enabling entrepreneurs and corporates alike to develop solutions for both local and global challenges. So, for now, we’re left clicking in circles, navigating the maze of digital cancellations ourselves.

You’ll need to show that you didn’t get what you paid for – either the item wasn’t received, was faulty or not what you ordered – and that you’ve already tried to get a refund from the retailer yourself. He’s going round in circles trying to sort out a product return through the site’s customer service bots, and can’t get through to a person no matter how hard he tries. While these advancements may seem ambitious, the journey toward a fully integrated customer experience is well underway. Businesses that embrace this evolution now will remain at the forefront of innovation and customer satisfaction. The impact is evident, particularly in sectors such as finance, retail, healthcare and agriculture, where tangible benefits are emerging.

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Until then, vigilance and a proactive approach are your best tools in the fight against unwanted subscription charges. While Cursor fixed the technical bug, the episode shows the risks of deploying AI models in customer-facing roles without proper safeguards and transparency. For a company selling AI productivity tools to developers, having its own AI support system invent a policy that alienated its core users represents a particularly awkward self-inflicted wound. Lurking beneath the link’s hypertext, however, in a tale as old as time, was a link to Rick Astley’s 1987 pop hit Never Gonna Give You Up. I will admit, an AI Rickrolling a human completely off its own digital back has a certain appeal, and I’m willing to suspend some disbelief in the hope that maybe this customer service chatbot really did decide to fake-out a user with an OG meme. Rogers says the decision reflects how more customers are using “digital tools and self-services,” and confirmed it now uses a virtual assistant named “Anna” to help with support.