Machines Understand Us: The Revolution in Search and the Customer Experience

_{Estimated reading time: 4 minutes}

A few years ago, when our most common way of searching for something was through Google, we all had to learn how to talk to machines. At some point, we all went through the process of learning that searches had to be conducted in a very precise way. For example, when searching for “sneakers,” Google might return a large number of different results—not necessarily what we were looking for. You had to know the exact terms the machine could process, and that was the only way to get what you wanted. There was an implicit learning curve to communicating with the machine, and that was a challenge.

Today, things have changed, and we’re seeing something truly amazing: Machines understand us.

What used to be a mechanical task—where you learned to communicate with the search engine using highly structured terms—has now become something completely different. Thanks to Artificial Intelligence (AI), searches and interactions with technology can be conducted in natural language, just as we would with another human being.

Today, you can search for something like “what are the best running shoes that look cool and cost less than 90€” and, surprisingly, the search engine not only understands you, but also returns results that are closer to what you actually want—with options that previously required you to phrase your questions in a much more rigid way.

The Transformation of the Customer Experience with Brands

The impact of this evolution of machines toward a more human understanding of language is enormous, especially in the way companies interact with customers. Customer service has always been viewed as a cost, which is why it’s not uncommon for many companies to have outsourced this work to other countries, such as Latin America, in search of lower costs. In some cases, companies even try to hide their phone number on their website, because a human agent has always represented an additional expense.

However, AI is changing this perspective. Thanks to AI’s ability to understand natural language, interactions with businesses are becoming much more accessible. It’s no longer a matter of the customer having to conform to a rigid question-and-answer structure; instead, the experience is now much more flexible and personalized.

Here’s a clear example: A customer visits your website and, instead of clicking through multiple menus or forms, simply types (or says!) something like, “I need a lightweight, waterproof jacket for running in the winter.” Thanks to AI, the system correctly interprets that request and instantly offers personalized recommendations. The customer no longer needs to resort to overly technical searches or wait to be directed to the right section of the site. Everything is handled conversationally, in real time, and in a much more natural way. This not only improves the experience but also enables a much more dynamic interaction with the customer, without the need to wait hours to speak with a representative.

The Future of Conversational Integration

The most exciting thing about all this is that our engagement with customers is going to change radically. The relationship between companies and customers is becoming more dynamic and direct, thanks to machines’ ability to understand and respond in natural language. This type of conversational integration will make it easier for customers to find solutions to their needs quickly and easily, without the rigidity of traditional forms or the need to “learn” how to interact with the technology.

The applications of this technology are endless, and in terms of marketing, it will allow us to offer experiences that are much more personalized and tailored to each customer’s needs. With AI, we’ll be able to have natural conversations with consumers, answer questions in real time, and—most importantly—create an experience that feels much more human, which will strengthen our relationships with customers.

In short…

We’re living in a fascinating time when machines finally understand us. Something we could sense back in 2011 with the arrival of Siri has taken a little longer than expected to materialize, but it has finally happened through other means. What once required learning how to interact with them has become completely natural. From Google searches to the shopping experience, AI is revolutionizing how we interact with technology.

Those of us with marketing experience know that this means the opportunities will be endless. Companies can no longer think solely in terms of simple interactions, but must consider how to integrate a conversational experience that is fully aligned with their customers’ expectations. And this, quite frankly, is just the beginning.

David Segura Global Strategy Director