Verizon’s AI Assistant, Powered by Google Cloud, Boosts Sales and Cuts Call Times
Verizon has announced that its new AI assistant, built using Google Cloud technology, has lowered customer call times by a substantial amount while allowing service reps to spend more time on sales, resulting in a significant increase in revenue as reported by Reuters.
The AI assistant offers real-time assistance to customer service representatives, enabling them to quickly navigate and respond to customer questions.
Released first in July 2024 and rolled out completely by January, the AI capabilities have resulted in an astonishing 40% boost in sales among Verizon's 28,000-member service team, according to Sowmyanarayan, CEO of Verizon's consumer division.
Sowmyanarayan said, “We are doing reskilling in real time from customer care agents to selling agents.”
A Showcase of Large-Scale AI Deployment
Verizon’s announcement, made during Google Cloud’s annual conference, offers a real-world example of how generative AI can deliver tangible business results countering skepticism from investors wary of the hefty investments tech giants are pouring into AI development.
Google Cloud, a major growth driver for Alphabet, contributed $43 billion to the company’s $350 billion total revenue in 2024.
Leveraging Google’s Gemini Model for Enhanced Support
Reuters reports that Verizon’s internal AI assistant was built by training Google’s Gemini large language model on around 15,000 of Verizon’s internal documents, Sowmyanarayan explained. This move sets Verizon apart from companies like Klarna, which have opted to replace customer service staff with AI entirely. Instead, Verizon has chosen a path focused on augmenting human workers rather than reducing headcount.
Also read: Google Partners with PJM to Use AI for Faster Power Grid Connections
Strategic Choice of Cloud Partners
Verizon still depends on both Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services (AWS), employing AWS mainly for application hosting and computing requirements, while depending on Google Cloud for analytics and AI innovation. Sowmyanarayan added that Verizon chose Google due to its capacity to deploy AI solutions at scale, supporting tens of thousands of employees seamlessly.
