The rapid expansion of the customer experience universe feels like our own in the aftermath of The Big Bang, with touchpoints launching into new channels and encompassing new technologies in every direction at blazing speeds.
So now marketers have more ground to cover than ever – not to mention that consumers are able to shop 24/7 from wherever they are – but they also have the increasingly challenging issue of meeting consumers’ rising expectations.
How is it possible? It requires holistic, intuitive AI.
Optimizely is in agreement, believing that AI is not just a technological advancement, but a fundamental shift in how digital experiences are created and optimized. It sees AI as the key to unlocking infinite scale for marketing and digital teams, enabling them to achieve (hopefully 10x) more with existing resources. And Optimizely’s approach is centered around building AI capabilities that are deeply integrated into the marketing workflow, context-aware, and capable of delivering tangible ROI.
Agents are the next phase of the AI evolution, making scalability possible while smoothing out customer experiences. Which means it looks and operates differently than the image you might have in your head. AI now has to act. And it has to add to the experience by being an experience in itself. Because just using AI isn’t enough. It has to be used correctly, to the point where it’s not obvious if it’s been used at all.
A real-world example of an agentic AI is Optimizely’s Opal. Opal is more than just an AI assistant; it’s an agentic, fully autonomous AI specialist that understands its users' brands inside and out. And its power lies in the broad, connected nature of its capabilities compared to previous iterations of AI tools.
Making an Experience of Agents
Companies run into the same issues with agents as they do with any new, shiny technology advancement. They hurriedly throw it into the mix and expect it to solve all of their problems.
To be successful with AI moving forward, it has to be a natural component to your brand that feels as seamless as hiring a new customer support rep. There are a handful of key steps to making that happen.
Infuse Brand Identity
Use your brand identity and voice to your advantage. People know what Nike sounds like. The punchy, motivational tone has been at its core for decades. So any AI infused into Nike’s experience would have to sound that way, too. Otherwise, it just feels off. The same would be true for any company. Take the time to teach your AI how your company speaks, interacts, and presents itself. It’s about more than just what products are available (though that’s critical), it’s also about consistency in the experience every time.
Organize Your Data
The biggest issue we see with companies trying to leverage AI is the state of their data. If your product catalog and consumer data isn’t clean and centralized, there’s not much an agent can do. We’re moving toward a world where personalization is driving engagement more than browsing, but that’s not possible with messy data.
Resolve Issues
The top priority for any new AI tool installed into your ecosystem is that it has to do something a user can’t on its own. That was a major complaint with chatbots. Sure, a chatbot may speed up the process slightly, but all it did was go to a different page that the user could have done themselves.
Agents must be designed to resolve problems. And if it can’t – just like a real person – it must kick off a new process to make that happen.
Get the Full Breakdown
For additional steps and the full look at how to make agentic AI feel, sound, and act like your brand, download our ebook with Optimizely, How to Incorporate Experience Into AI.
Kyle Davis
As the Director of Marketing and Communications, Kyle helps guide the brand messaging, content, and go-to-market approach for Studio Science. He has worked in the industry – from regional marketing consultancies to global agencies – for the past decade working with the agencies to grow their reputations and better engage with their clients and prospects.
