This is how a Japanese company intends to use AI to reduce the stress of its workers

If you’ve ever been to a so-called “call center,” you’ll probably know that it’s not usually the most peaceful and calm place in the world. In fact, it’s usually the opposite: people calling you with all sorts of problems, often with a considerable degree of anger (whether justified or not, that’s beside the point).

In many cases, in fact, teleoperators are considered to be part of that group of professionals who often suffer from high levels of stress and anxiety.

Luckily for them, it seems that a Japanese company has come up with a solution to reduce this uncomfortable routine: nothing more and nothing less than using the latest advances in, of course, artificial intelligence.

Artificial intelligence against stress

Japanese company SoftBank is developing a pioneering technique for using artificial intelligence to reduce the stress of its workers. The process actually seems simple, even if it isn’t: This technology picks up what customers say, no matter how upset they are, and manipulates their voice, making its tone vary and become calmer and more pleasant.

And what is the aim of this? Well, as pointed out by Fast Companyreduce the stress levels that continuous dealing with annoying, angry or downright furious people has on the mental health of your teleoperators. As much as it may seem like an empathetic and altruistic practice, it is not: The happier employees are, the better they will perform.

However, although on paper it seems like something simple to do, in reality it is anything but. This technology is complex to develop, especially because requires that the customer’s angry tone be eliminated, but not their frustration. That is, AI should soften the forms, but not alter the substance, and that is not easy. It is not expected to be ready until 2025.

And, as expected, the Japanese at SoftBank have shown their geeky side and have chosen a character from the popular anime GeGeGe no Kitaro to voice this technology. In addition, ten actors were also hired to say all kinds of phrases and thus be able to train this very special artificial intelligence, compared to others.

AI, from problem to solution

It is at least curious that artificial intelligence could finally become an ally for Japanese teleoperators, since, at least initially, it was one of the culprits of their stress, since Many feared that because of them they would end up staying jobless.

It seems that this will not be the case for now. As SoftBank points out, AI is still far from being able to interact convincingly with angry customers. In fact, have you ever had to deal with the AI ​​of a recording when calling somewhere? Hasn’t it done exactly the opposite and ended up making you angrier?

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Tags: Artificial intelligence, Japan