Las Vegas mall gets a sassy AI chatbot

Dive Brief:

The Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas has unveiled an automated intelligence conversation platform named Jules that "combines the speed and accuracy of artificial intelligence (AI) with the ease of real conversation," according to a press release from Miracle Mile Shops, which developed the technology along with Satisfi Labs.
The chatbot has a "witty, sassy and trendy personality" which reflects the mall's "chic and lively" shoppers, noted the companies. Jules converses through Facebook Messenger on shoppers' mobile devices and computers.
Jules is available 24/7 and is able to answer inquiries about the center's stores, restaurants and shows, as well as nearby food and beverage options, parking and security. The chatbot is location-based and can provide specific answers based on where users are in the 475,000 square foot mall.

Dive Insight:

AI has a new personality: Jules, a very chatty chatbot guide, customer service resource and perhaps even a confidant. Jules provides automated responses to messages sent to "Miracle Mile Shops Las Vegas" on Facebook Messenger. It is accessible everywhere and anytime Facebook Messenger is available, whether within the shopping mall or in an office 2,000 miles away. Although an image of "Jules" appears with the Messenger responses, which are peppered with emojis, the service produced text only with no sound in a trial by Retail Dive.

Chatbots using artificial intelligence are becoming more prevalent. Research firm Gartner predicts that about 25% of customer service and support operations will use virtual assistants or chatbot technology for customer engagement by 2020. And according to a recent survey of 3,000 U.S. consumers conducted by Mastercard and Mercator, 66% of consumers are now using voice assistants or messenger/text-based chatbots and 21% are actually making purchases through the technology.

ProFlowers has a chatbot on Facebook Messenger that includes a one-click "Buy" button, using AI and natural language processing technologies. Louis Vuitton has deployed the LV Virtual Advisor chatbot on Facebook Messenger. Both ProFlowers and Louis Vuitton use technology from mode.ai.

So what does this chatbot say? "Hey there, I'm Jules, your Miracle Mile Shops’ expert. I know pretty much everything there is to know about my fave place to shop, so fire away!" Asked, "What’s up, Jules?" The chatbot replies, "Oh you know, I'm just a girl, sitting in front of a phone, asking it to message me…" But what if a smartphone needs service while inside the mall? "Are you addicted to your devices too?? I'm so guilty! The Source Electronics is exactly what you're looking for, and guess what? There are TWO locations inside Miracle Mile Shops."

Satisfi Labs also has created AI conversation platforms for entertainment venues like arenas and zoos, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "As Miracle Mile Shops continues to experience an increase in foot traffic, it is important to integrate AI that is scalable and easy to use for every new visitor," said Justine Santa Cruz, vice president of product at Satisfi Labs in the press release. Miracle Mile Shops is an affiliate of Institutional Mall Investors, a co-investment venture owned by Miller Capital Advisory and the California Public Employees' Retirement System.

This isn’t the first use of advanced technology at the mall. In June 2017, Miracle Mile opened the Tipsy Robot bar with robot bartenders, reported the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Drinks are $14 each. Customers pay and then get a QR code on their smartphone, after which the robot prepares their drink order. Tipsy Robot was created by Rino Armeni, chairman of Robotic Innovations.

Besides Tipsy Robot, Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino has over a mile of 200 stores, restaurants and entertainment venues on the Las Vegas Strip, said the press release. It also has a "multi-million dollar" fountain show.