21 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 PGRI Sept Ad V7.2.1_4PRINT_082523.ai 1 8/25/2023 5:40:19 PM conversation starter. But eventually, there needs to be a personal touch. AI will never replace the most important part of the interaction with retailers and that is a real human who cares about your business, who understands their challenges and goals, and has a shared incentive to get them to their goals. The person-to-person contact is important for lotteries and helps them keep on the pulse of what is happening in their state. This is where AI is an enabling helper technology and not a substitute for a person who can meet with lottery retailers face-to-face.” Mike said that AI will certainly impact the customer service process. “We have all had the frustration of calling customer service and getting a different answer depending on who answers the phone,” he said. “With AI, there will be a consistency resulting from a shared knowledge base and the same level of suggestions and prompts on how to respond to a question. It can still be a human talking with the customer, but they are using AI to get answers that remain consistent no matter who that person is talking with. The machine will not replace humans for some of these important interpersonal interactions. We will always need a human because even with all the recommendations, someone has to make a final decision based on their judgement. That is the human part that will remain so important.” And getting “your humans” ready is critical, said Mark. “AI is already a part of our lives and its impact will only grow,” he said. “But we need to prepare employees for this inevitability and understand that there is uncertainty that comes with this new technology. The questions will be as basic as ‘is my job going away’? Let’s identify ‘champions’ within our organizations who can communicate what AI is, what it isn’t, and what are the strategies the organization will implement for use of AI. We know that all companies are thinking about AI and the lottery industry is taking it seriously. Embracing the technology is the first step towards helping employees better understand how it will help their daily work lives.” Keith said that weighing the pros and cons of the technology is critical before making hard decisions. “We know that AI is not taking days off or calling in sick, so comparisons between technology and humans are not equal on a cost basis,” he said. “But we have to be very careful about making decisions with costs as the leading qualifier. Our industry is still only as good as the people who are making the decisions and interacting with lotteries, retailers, and players. The technology is moving fast, but speed to market doesn’t mean something is a great solution. And when it comes to AI, we need to take the time and make sure the technology we are building makes the most sense for employees and customers.” Jacob closed the discussion by suggesting that no matter what AI initiatives an organization ultimately makes, it needs to act responsibly. “At the end of the day, AI is allowing a computer to think like a human, learn from its mistakes, alter its code, and alter the way it approaches things without human input,” he said. “That might fundamentally feel like a threat to many people. But if we can show how AI can contribute to solutions to otherwise daunting problems, how society benefits from AI, and how negative impacts can be mitigated, people may feel more encouraged and even inspired by the potential for AI to make this world a better place. AI is trying to mimic human cognition, not replace it. And in the end, that will hopefully benefit everyone.” n
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