It's not possible these days to scroll through a feed without seeing a headline with "AI". From self-driving cars to smart home systems, AI is the new buzzword that you can't avoid. Is there an opportunity for your team to take advantage of AI? At Ballast Lane, we're no strangers to this trend. We're always on the lookout for how technology, especially AI, can transform the products we develop for our clients.
To get the wheels turning, here are some examples of popular products that have harnessed the power of AI to become more useful and valuable.
The Magic of Netflix's Recommendation System
Ever wondered how Netflix always seems to know what you'd like to watch next? It's not witchcraft, but a super-smart AI. Netflix uses artificial intelligence algorithms to analyze your viewing history and preferences, then recommends shows and movies you're likely to enjoy. It's like having a cinema-loving friend who always knows what you're in the mood for.
Netflix uses machine learning to generate many variations of high-probability click-thru image thumbnails to increase the probability that you will click and watch.
Siri, Alexa, Cortana, and Google Assistant: Your Personal Assistant
"Hey Siri, set a reminder for my meeting." "Alexa, play my workout playlist." "Okay Google, what's the weather today?" That's AI at work, making your smartphone smarter. These built-in smart assistants use AI to understand and execute your commands, making your day-to-day tasks as easy as pie.
Top tech companies have a AI powered virtual assistant that uses robotic process automation (RPA), natural language processing (NLP), and machine learning (ML).
Grammarly: Your Virtual Writing Buddy
Ever wished for a proofreading assistant who can catch your typos and help you write better? Grammarly does exactly that. Powered by AI, it corrects your grammar, offers vocabulary enhancements, and even checks for plagiarism. It's like having a personal editor who's awake 24/7, just without the coffee breaks.
Spotify: The Music Maestro
Spotify uses AI to analyze your listening habits and craft personalized playlists, introducing you to new songs and artists based on your taste. It's like having your own DJ who knows exactly how to get you grooving.
The AI powered DJ is a personalized guide that knows you and your music taste so well that it can choose what to play for you.
AI in E-commerce: Your Personal Shopping Assistant
Online shopping platforms use AI to personalize your shopping experience. By analyzing your browsing history and purchases, they recommend products you might like or need. It's like having a personal shopper who knows your style and budget perfectly.
Shop, from Shopify, offers its 100 million users an AI-powered personal shopping assistant through a purple icon in the search bar. From gift suggestions to wardrobe advice and home decor ideas, customers can start chatting by directly asking a question or picking from existing prompts.
How can you use AI to make your product more useful?
You don't need to be a big, famous company to use AI in your product.
Imagine your app sprinkled with a bit of AI magic. When a user searches for a product or piece of information, AI can be the genie that brings up exactly what they're looking for - no more scrolling through endless pages! It uses previous search patterns and purchase history to understand the user's tastes and preferences. And voila, the user has a custom-made catalog right at their fingertips.
Envision your app has a chatbot that's been powered up with AI. This is no ordinary chatbot; it's more like a personal shopping assistant. It can answer customer queries, provide recommendations, and even crack jokes to keep the conversation light and engaging. It gets smarter with each interaction, learning about customer preferences, common issues, and frequently asked questions.
Picture your app with an AI-powered notification system. We're talking about personalized, timely, and relevant alerts that make your users feel like they're in a VIP club. Based on user behavior, preferences, and usage history, the AI can generate tailored messages, letting them know about a new feature they might be interested in, a discount on their favorite product, or wishing them a happy birthday. These notifications can be sent when the user is most active on the app, increasing the chances of engagement. It's like your app is having an actual conversation with the users.
AI is here, it's now, and it's making our digital products more valuable and intuitive than ever before. As the technology advances, AI will find its way into most of the digital products we use everyday. Products that embrace AI will have a competitive edge over those who do not. Now is the time to start exploring how AI can help make your digital products more valuable. We're here to help our clients ride the wave of this exciting trend, from strategy to execution.