In this episode of Behind the Growth, host Imran Mian welcomes Sabih Ahmed from Scotiabank, who shares his decade-long experience in deploying conversational AI. Sabih emphasizes the importance of aligning conversational AI applications with customer needs over mere cost-cutting. He explains how these technologies should focus on high-volume, low-complexity tasks to optimize operational efficiency.

Sabih also discusses the critical steps involved in developing conversational AI from identifying suitable use cases to securing executive buy-in. He stresses the need for clear business objectives and robust testing to avoid potential pitfalls, using real-world examples to illustrate common challenges and solutions.

As the conversation progresses, he covers the future of conversational AI, touching on the integration of generative AI and its potential to expand service capacities without replacing human jobs. Finally, Sabih emphasizes the importance of an AI-first organizational culture that views AI as an enhancement rather than a replacement of human capabilities.

Key Highlights:
- Prioritize customer value over business cost savings
- Target repetitive, simple tasks with conversational AI
- Focus on conversational design for AI effectiveness
- Implement continuous learning for conversational AI improvement
- Define precise KPIs to measure AI performance

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