Welcome to the forefront of conversational AI as we explore the fascinating world of AI chatbots in our dedicated blog series. Discover the latest advancements, applications, and strategies that propel the evolution of chatbot technology. From enhancing customer interactions to streamlining business processes, these articles delve into the innovative ways artificial intelligence is shaping the landscape of automated conversational agents. Whether you’re a business owner, developer, or simply intrigued by the future of interactive technology, join us on this journey to unravel the transformative power and endless possibilities of AI chatbots.
MEDIANAMA
Technology and policy in India
Last week, we had an interesting incident from Canada where a tribunal ordered Air Canada to honour a refund because it was sought based on advice peddled by its AI-powered customer service chatbot. The chatbot advised the traveller that they could apply for a refund retroactively to claim bereavement fares, when, in fact, the airline policy does not allow retrocative claims. Air Canada refused the refund noting that it cannot be held liable for the information provided by the chatbot, but the tribunal disagreed.
“Air Canada suggests the chatbot is a separate legal entity that is responsible for its own actions. This is a remarkable submission. While a chatbot has an interactive component, it is still just a part of Air Canada’s website. It should be obvious to Air Canada that it is responsible for all the information on its website. It makes no difference whether the information comes from a static page or a chatbot,” the tribunal member remarked.
Since this incident, it appears that Air Canada has disabled its chatbot as we were unable to see the same on its website.
In another interesting case in India, a user on X claimed that they could use Zomato’s customer support chatbot as ChatGPT because the chatbot uses OpenAI technology. But in this case, the chatbot promptly escalated a refund request to a human agent.
In India and elsewhere, many of the popular online platforms have a chatbot service powered by AI. Last year, one e-commerce platform proudly claimed that it had laid off 90 percent of its support staff and replaced them with an AI chatbot.
and the Air Canada incident should be an eye-opener for these companies because AI agents are prone to “hallucination,” making up false information, sharing incorrect details, etc. This raises some interesting questions on liability for what an AI-powered chatbot says:
If anyone of you readers have a take on this, please feel free to reach out to me via email.
Also Read
 
STAY ON TOP OF TECH NEWS: Our daily newsletter with the top story of the day from MediaNama, delivered to your inbox before 9 AM. Click here to sign up today!
 
Support our journalism:

• Sign up for our Daily Newsletter to receive regular updates
• Stay informed about MediaNama events
• Have something to tell us? Leave an Anonymous Tip
• Ask us to File an RTI
• Sponsor a MediaNama Event

The Indian streaming landscape has been changing in the recent past. Streaming service providers, including major names such as Netflix and Disney+Hotstar, appear to be struggling to acquire active monthly users.
Earlier inputs from Zomato indicate that subscription programmes may bring down monthly transacting users and thus prove less profitable.
MediaNama is the premier source of information and analysis on Technology Policy in India. More about MediaNama, and contact information, here.
© 2024 Mixed Bag Media Pvt. Ltd.

source