Telus announced Monday it has introduced a new generative AI (GenAI)-powered customer support tool for Telus.com, one of the first customer-accessible GenAI solutions from a Canadian organization, it says.
“Powered by Fuel iX and Microsoft OpenAI Service, the GenAI customer support tool offers fast, easy and intuitive responses to customer queries, providing a more convenient and seamless digital experience,” a Telus press release says.
Fuel iX is an enterprise-grade AI engine designed by Telus International and WillowTree, a digital product provider acquired by Telus International in early 2023. Fuel iX is designed “to help companies deploy and manage customized GenAI solutions at scale faster,” the press release explains. The Telus GenAI support tool integrates large language models from Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service.
“TELUS’ GenAI tool has advanced natural language processing capabilities and accesses more than 1,000 customer support articles to deliver quick and intelligent answers to many commonly-asked questions, providing efficient and round-the-clock support,” the release says. “The tool has been built prioritizing data privacy at every layer of development, adhering to ethical Privacy by Design and Responsible AI principles. TELUS GenAI has undergone rigorous risk mitigation testing to identify, evaluate and safeguard against vulnerabilities.”
Since the rollout of Telus GenAI began, the support tool has already answered more than 50,000 customer queries, helping 28 per cent more customers find the information they seek versus using conventional site search on their own, according to the release. Customers with account-specific questions can be directed to Telus agents who are always available to help with more complex, personalized service requests, the release says.
“We know our customers value their time and convenience, and we’re excited to use the power of generative AI to help them self-serve and make their support experience quicker, easier and more intuitive,” Hesham Fahmy, chief information officer at Telus, said in the release. “TELUS is equally committed to our globally-recognized responsible and ethical approach to technology design and data stewardship, and our AI support tool is no exception.”
“TELUS is embracing the AI opportunity to unlock new possibilities for the customer experience,” said Tom Kubik, general manager of enterprise commercial industries at Microsoft Canada. “By integrating Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, TELUS can tap into the power of generative AI to offer more convenient and seamless experiences to their customers across Canada.”
In April, Bell announced it had partnered with Google Cloud to offer a generative AI-driven contact centre solution for businesses.
