The problem is a problem of choice I believe.

When we use AI ourselves via tools like chatbots, harnesses etc. we are mostly actively choosing to do so, and have some control. We can always just decide to stop and do the work ourselves if its not working out.

In the call center/situation of companies embedding it in their products, often its not in a way that gives users the choice. They are forcing it onto their users with no other option, or at the very least they are always forced to play along with the LLM until it finally gives up.

Its user hostile since we can't decide to break out of the LLM loop when we want to.

Add on top of that most of these companies are actually forcing the use of the AI related features simply to fulfill someones KPI's/internal metrics.

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datsci_est_2015 2 hours ago | parent [-]

Well you also have to recognize that call centers are a net negative for every organization, especially as (almost) no one makes (B2C) purchases over the phone anymore. Whenever you call a company you are costing them money. With automation, you cost them less money. If they inconvenience you, all that does is discourage you from calling them more, which, again, leads to even more savings for them.

The incentives are perfectly aligned for all of us to absolutely hate interacting with call centers, especially automated ones.

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Jcampuzano2 an hour ago | parent | next [-]

Well maybe don't run the call center at all, and actually make things fixable yourself without interacting with a human/LLM.

Example: At least here in the US plenty of companies still require calling in to cancel. Include that by default as a user flow/feature (and we're getting better but many utility, gyms and other companies still require calls) and boom, you've gotten rid of probably 50+% of call volume in many places still requiring this.

But of course they want the best of both worlds as you describe. They want to inconvenience the hell out of you for things that are 100% able to be implemented as just regular user flows so they can get people to just drop it while also saving money on these flows with LLM's.

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mrguyorama an hour ago | parent | prev [-]

This is only remotely true in the shithole that is US business culture.

In better places, among better people, you run a good call center because it improves your brand value, and helps people, and solves problems, and you started your business to make things for people or fix things for people.

Then some jackoffs on HN say that your country is "Dying" because it isn't minting any trillionaires.

	▲	datsci_est_2015 20 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		One of the only non-local businesses that continues to be viewed positively (in my circles) in the US is Costco, who managed to align their incentives (mostly) with their customers by generating revenue from membership rather than product margin. I’ll admit that the layout of their stores is a bit anti-consumer, but that’s a minor transgression imo. Their business model almost makes them more comparable to cooperatives rather than corporations. I’m with you - I don’t think this is necessarily an issue with economic systems, but with culture. Specifically the culture that the wealthiest Americans have imposed upon the less wealthy.