Training Your Own AI Model May Not Win Customers – But Leveraging Data Will

While AI plays a crucial role in delivering personalized customer experiences, the real game-changer lies in data connectivity. It’s not about having the flashiest AI model but about how data is managed across every interaction.

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Imagine a global retail brand with a network of physical stores, an e-commerce site, and active social media. An in-store shopper “likes” a product on Instagram, triggering an autonomous agent to send a personalized discount code. This leads them to a tailored shopping page based on their preferences, with items in their size, style, and budget. After the purchase, the agent follows up to ensure satisfaction and offers discounts on complementary items, creating a VIP-like experience.

While AI can automate these touchpoints, the real enabler is a robust data platform that brings each data point into a cohesive, connected system. Without this, AI’s effectiveness is limited; Gartner predicts that 30% of generative AI projects will be abandoned by 2025 due to poor data quality.

Why Data – Not a Custom AI Model – Drives Results

Many companies think they need a custom-trained language model (LLM) to achieve superior customer insights. However, training an LLM is costly, requires specialized expertise, and lacks built-in permission controls. And because LLMs require constant updates to stay relevant, it’s a significant commitment with diminishing returns.

Instead, a more practical approach is to integrate a pre-trained LLM with a data platform that aggregates data from diverse systems in real time. By providing AI with current, connected data, companies can enhance accuracy, identify trends, and respond to customer needs quickly.

The Power of Integrated Data Platforms

Consider the shopper who “liked” a social media post and then interacted with an autonomous agent. Alone, these interactions may not signify much, but together they reveal a clear buying intent. Scaling this approach allows brands to spot valuable opportunities faster. Autonomous agents can help sales teams prioritize prospects, resolve service cases, and drive sales – all in real time.

This isn’t limited to retail. In healthcare, agents can streamline patient benefits verification, summarize insurance details, and assist with pharmacy coverage. From finance to manufacturing, data-enabled AI agents have endless applications.

Metadata: The Secret to Seamless AI

For AI to deliver tailored, high-value interactions, it needs organized data – and metadata is key. By categorizing and tagging data, metadata enables AI to find the right information, whether drafting a customer message or identifying top sales prospects. A unified data platform that harmonizes data and metadata yields sharper predictions and more personalized outputs, outperforming siloed data systems.

Data-Driven Precision in Customer Experience

An effective data platform is the backbone of an agile, customer-centric business, making AI far more than guesswork. By using data to understand customer needs in real time, businesses can deliver targeted, timely experiences that build loyalty and growth.

A comprehensive data strategy is essential to unlocking AI’s potential. This data strategy guide provides best practices for aligning data with business goals, unearthing insights, and enhancing customer engagement. A unified data platform connects your organization around the customer – transforming a simple “like” into a sale, and a sale into loyalty.

Without it, your AI is just guessing.