CogSci seminar series: "From Helpful to Valuable: What Changed and Why It Matters"
When: Wednesday, January 28, 2026, 1:00 PM - 2:03 PM
Where:
We are pleased to have our guest speaker, Ayodele, who leads the Digital Care Data and AI team at Vodafone AI, to share his real-world experience in deploying the GenAI systems in Vodafone's customer service. His talk is titled "From Helpful to Valuable: What Changed and Why It Matters" and will be hosted in person at Peter Landin 4.24.
From Helpful to Valuable: What Changed and Why It Matters
Abstract:
A few years ago, most chatbots were scripted FAQs that struggled outside the happy path. Today, assistants can understand free form questions, ask clarifying follow ups, ground answers in trusted information, and take useful actions, while knowing when to hand over to a human. They also increasingly operate as agentic assistants that can coordinate tools and multi-step tasks. I plan to discuss that shift in simple terms: what changed in the tech, what problems assistants can now reliably solve, and where responsible limits still apply. Trust is the equation that makes the whole experience work. That means clear and honest answers, grounded in reliable sources, and seamless handover when the assistant is unsure. When we deliver that, customers get smoother journeys and less effort. Cost matters because it keeps solutions sustainable. We look at cost to serve and unit economics not as a way to cut corners, but as a way to remove waste, improve customer experience, and scale what actually helps people. The goal is balance. Improve customer experience and earn trust, while proving business value in a responsible way.