Google announced Tuesday that popular companies, including Best Buy, Mercedes Benz and ADT, are now using its Gemini AI technology to create custom chatbots, meaning Google’s AI will soon play a role in everything from solving of problems with a Best Buy purchase to creating an ADT home security system.
Google revealed the news during the ongoing Google Cloud Next conference in Las Vegas, according to Engadget.
Best Buy confirmed Google’s claims Tuesday with an announcement about its upcoming artificial intelligence tools.
Related: Klarna says its AI assistant does the work of 700 people. The company laid off the same number of employees 2 years ago.
According to Bloomberg, Best Buy’s AI chatbots will handle customer inquiries for basic requests, such as delivery and order scheduling. The robots will take over some of the workload of Best Buy’s human employees working in stores and call centers, though it’s unclear whether jobs will be affected. The AI will begin to be implemented “in the coming months.”
Mercedes, meanwhile, is working on an AI chatbot to add to its smart sales assistant, while IHG Hotels & Resorts is developing a vacation planning bot to enhance its mobile app, according to Engadget.
According to the same report, home security company ADT is also building an AI customer service agent to help customers set up its products.
AI has already had an impact on a variety of industries, with buy-now-pay-later company Klarna saying in February that its AI chatbot is “doing the equivalent of the work of 700 full-time employees”. [customer service] agents.”
On the financial side, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon mentioned in a letter to shareholders Monday that artificial intelligence could augment “virtually every job.”
Related: A new AI startup from Unicorn founders wants companies to know their ‘value’
AI-focused startups have noticed an interest in funding, with a February report showing that 44% of all new companies valued at more than $1 billion that appeared on the scene last year were focused on artificial intelligence and machine learning.
However, it hasn’t been all positive news for Google’s AI efforts. In February the technology giant removed its Gemini AI image generator after users noticed that the AI placed people of color in historically inaccurate contexts.
The image generator has not yet been backed up.
In March, news leaked of private talks between Google and Apple to bring Google’s AI features to the iPhone.
Google’s Cloud Next conference runs through Thursday.
Related: Apple is reportedly in talks to integrate Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence into iPhone features