The contentAI Platform & CTIA (Fall 2001, San Diego)

October 7, 2011 By

Yup, we’ll be there.  Looking forward to a range of meetings and some new relationships.

Also, we just got an invite to present at the MOBILE PLATFORM CHALLENGE.  So, that’s another area to find us.

See you in San Diego.

Stay tuned for an upcoming post on our thoughts about the iPhone and SIRI.  We think it’s terrific to see Natural Language Processing get a big PR boost. . .but, we also know the limitations of an “all knowing” personal assistant (it can never be as “all knowing” as we’d like to believe). . .Anyway, detailed thoughts soon.  But, congratulations to SIRI and their team.

Filed Under: AI conversation, AI conversational network, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, mobile marketing Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Mobile is Personal — Really Personal…it’s called Love (Maybe)

October 1, 2011 By

While the study was small in scope, the take-away from the New York Times article here

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/01/opinion/you-love-your-iphone-literally.html?_r=2&emc=eta1&pagewanted=all

Addresses not just an “addictive” nature to mobile engagement – But it goes further — To a “love” of our mobile devices.

The subjects’ brains responded to the sound of their phones as they would respond to the presence or proximity of a girlfriend, boyfriend or family member.

Virtual characters and agents designed for mobile engagement fulfill the 2-way communication needs associated with the devices — the raison d’etre they have evolved to evoke such deep emotion.  We’re 99.9% certain that this “love” has not come into being due to GPS sensors, mobile banner ads or even “push” notifications.

To fulfill and make “love last,” emotionally compelling mobile content experiences matter!

I’d posit that mobile devices have evolved to evoke “love” because they’ve become our most important communication channel with friends and family (other than face-to-face).

While the article focused on iPhone users and implies that it is a more “loved” device than others, we’d challenge that assertion and suspect it is a cross-device phenomenon.  Simply, iPhone users like to express their affection a little louder than the rest of us!

For those in the mobile content business, we hope the take-away here is that to keep the love flowing, you’ve got to deliver emotionally rewarding content – not just click-throughs — this is NOT the static web.

 

CAVEAT:  Some really smart people have taken issue with the study (not just the thinness, but detail level) and that should be noted:  http://www.talyarkoni.org/blog/2011/10/01/the-new-york-times-blows-it-big-time-on-brain-imaging/

While the technical aspects are worth questioning, the underlying notion that mobile devices are held to be extremely personal by their owners remains fairly solid.  Just try taking one away from someone…or, see how they fare when they lose their device?  It doesn’t take an MRI to tell you that you are touching on emotions, not just rational thought.

 

Filed Under: AI conversation, AI conversational network, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, Friendly machines, Mobile, mobile marketing, Virtual Agents Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Virtual Agents Get Closer to Customers

September 15, 2011 By

One of the early players in the “virtual agent” business was VirtuOZ, we have not seen them venture into mobile (though they’ve talked about it); and our interactive narrative engagement solution differs from their engine in other key respects (contentAI was designed specifically for mobile, contextual and personalized engagement, not static web).

That said, we like the work VirtuOZ do — And, we really like the perspective they offered in a Guest Post on VentureBeat:

http://venturebeat.com/2011/09/15/4-ways-to-bring-your-customers-closer-with-virtual-agents/#disqus_thread

The projected 400% increase in virtual agents by 2014 could be low (though it’s a great number, as is); but, we’d include our Mobile FAQ product in this category; and that form of application alone could drive greater adoption of IVAs on the “mobile side” of the web specific to individual products and intelligent packaging as mobile web use increases.

 

Filed Under: AI conversation, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, Mobile, mobile marketing, Virtual Agents Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Mobile Marketing Start To Think Conversationally

September 6, 2011 By

This was fascinating to look at from Quaker Oats and their recent mobile campaign — that’s termed “conversation,” though in our opinion, it is taking a step toward conversation without jumping into actual 2-way conversation. . .

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/2011/09/06/quaker-uses-qr-codes-to-start-dialogue-for-nick-jonas-promotion

But, it’s an important step to see a major Brand move into conversation based mobile engagement — Our position that mobile devices are, at heart, communicators, is clearly key in the campaign thinking for the above.

Thanks @Mposada for sending the link and seeing the connection!

*****

UPDATE:  Another article this week with an excellent quote and perspective from Mike Wehrs of Scanbuy:

http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/strategy/10915.html

“It is also an empowerment tool that allows for a one-to-one conversation…”

 

Filed Under: AI conversation, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, holiday mobile marketing, Mobile, mobile marketing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

“No, I will not go out with you on a date” – Virtual Agents and Backstory

August 26, 2011 By

There’s an amusing story in Venturebeat today about how virtual agents get “hit on” frequently:

http://venturebeat.com/2011/08/26/virtual-customer-service-agents-are-constantly-getting-hit-on/

The focus of the story is on the VirtuOZ animated characters and their “looks.”  What’s fascinating is that we see this exact same behavior from a certain percentage of Users with text-only engagement.  We think it’s because our “characters” are well drawn through words alone!

This was an obvious issue back during our early development – We created a zone called “backstory,” so that each virtual character would be able to engage on a more personal level, yet control the situation.  So, yes, you can ask our virtual agents on a date, their favorite movies and a range of other topics (though, there are child safe filters in place for most agents).

With mobile engagement, we find that this level of personalization is what is absolutely necessary to create memorable and successful consumer engagements.

So, sure, ask away…you never know what you may find out about someone!

 

Filed Under: AI conversation, Conversational AI, Friendly machines, Virtual Agents Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Personalized Mobile Advertising does NOT need GPS

August 11, 2011 By

Terrific post over @paidcontent today:

http://paidcontent.org/article/419-mobile-advertising-personalized-ads-coupons-score-with-users/

Highlight:

According to a new survey, it’s not location-relevant advertising that is most valued by mobile consumers; it’s mobile ads that are personalized to a users’ tastes.

So, let’s look at our Mobile Retail demo with a virtual clerk.  In a couple of quick messages, the Brand derives market research data and the User is delivered a personalized mobile coupon specific to their needs that day, at that place, at that time.  All without GPS, accelerometers or Ouiji Boards.

Just ask them.

 

 

Filed Under: AI conversation, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, Friendly machines, mobile marketing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Why Cereal Boxes and Mobile are Like Peanut Butter and Chocolate

August 5, 2011 By

We use the “chat with a character on a cereal box” example to describe a great application for our platform often.

People “get it” quickly.

Then, they start thinking, “hey kids don’t have smartphones…”

Here’s the study:

http://adage.com/article/adagestat/25-toddlers-a-smartphone/229082/

25% of TODDLERS have used a smartphone (never mind, our cereal box example is more for 4-8 year olds; well, plus those of us who are older and want to chat with Cap’n Crunch, so, greater than 25% of population).

Now if 40% of mobile users have a smartphone, this means that Toddlers and kids are one of the largest mobile demographics!

We like the cereal box example.

One day we’ll put it into practice.

Filed Under: Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, Friendly machines, NFC, QR TAgs, Virtual Agents Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

mLearning Simulations and Story…Encouraging Exploration…

August 2, 2011 By

“Precision oftentimes kills the ability of the learner to discover multiple real-life applications.”

There have been a couple of follow up blog posts to the WIRED article entitled: IN PRAISE OF VAGUENESS.

One notable blog post is here:  VAGUE STORIES HELP LEARNERS DISCOVER.

This is very consistent with the responses we’re receiving from ESL teachers that note how our ESL conversational simulations allow vague and varied responses — they don’t encourage precision and fixed responses — they encourage conversational exploration.  We allow the vague. 

Please stop by our http://ESLai.com unit and try out the simulation/stories developed with the contentAI engine. 

The articles are worth reading, here’s another quote. . .

“Sometimes, precision is dangerous, a closed door keeping us from imagining new possibilities. Vagueness is that door flung wide open, a reminder that we don’t yet know the answer, that we might still get better, that we have yet to fail.”

Does this same “wide open door” deepen user engagement for mobile marketing and entertainment applications?

We’re guessing, “yes.”

Filed Under: AI conversation, AI conversational network, Conversational AI, ESL, Mobile, mobile english Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

QR Leads to AR without AR – Clever Mobile Campaign

July 29, 2011 By

This was an interesting post from @RickMathieson over at:

http://mathieson.typepad.com/genwow/2011/07/trident-lates-to-use-qr-talking-heads-video.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+GenerationWow+%28Generation+Wow%29

Showing a Trident print ad, with QR, that leads to an “AR’ish” experience without AR.  Near as we can tell, it’s just a video being pushed from the QR scan.

Here’s the Youtube link directly:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X62xhsDqdBQ&feature=player_embedded

What interests us about the format is how we could FIRST engage in a quick “chat” with the end user and then deliver, for example, one of ten, different videos so that it is a more unique and personalized experience for each end user.   It’s a very clever format to expand upon.  Let’s hope we see more uniquely mobile experiences coming off of QR codes (and NFC) rather than shrunken internet experiences.

 

Filed Under: AI conversation, AI conversational network, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, Friendly machines, mobile marketing, NFC, Products, QR TAgs, Virtual Agents Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

“Conversation” – One Way to Solve the Dilemma of Mobile Context

July 20, 2011 By

Despite all the sensors within a mobile device, “context” remains allusive.

The quest to really understand someone’s state of mind vis a vis chips, session management and sensors is noble.  But, people aren’t “read” so easily.

Why not just ask them?

At  least half the value of a mobile device is it’s use a two-way communication tool.  It’s the essence of the medium.  But, apps and mobile web generally operate outside of “conversation.”

Our Retail Demo (shopGirl) remains relevant to the ongoing discussion about “mobile context.”  It appears to be a simple, very short and quick back/forth conversation with a virtual sales clerk.

But, that clerk then delivers one of five possible mobile coupons based on the User’s “stated interest” at that specific time.

i.e. “in context.”

Passing sensor data through to the virtual agent will increase it’s “intelligence,” but, ultimately, no one can tell you what a mobile user is really thinking, except that mobile user.

Conversation is the fastest path today to determine contextual value for the End User.

It’s also a lot of fun to create.

There are some terrific insights and discussions going on around Mobile Context, these are current favorites:

http://yiibu.com/articles/wider-context/

http://www.cloudfour.com/on-mobile-context/  (including the comment section; great reading)

And this excellent piece on how “personalization” is the key to contextual…

http://www.dmolsen.com/mobile-in-higher-ed/2011/07/20/redefining-mobile-context-by-making-it-personal/?utm_source=direct-awe.sm&utm_medium=awe.sm-twitter&utm_campaign&utm_content=twitterfeed&awesm=awe.sm_5PHTZ

Filed Under: AI conversation, AI conversational network, Conversational AI, mLearning Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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