GBS WORLD NEWS | WEEK 3 | MARCH 2024

The Global Fraud Summit was held in London, where British authorities, in collaboration with the FBI and US Secret Service, announced they are intensifying efforts to combat global call center scams, following Interpol’s alert on the escalating threat. Recent years has seen a dramatic increase in criminal networks exploiting trafficked individuals in online scam centers, perpetrating financial fraud on a massive scale. With over 70% of fraud originating in multiple locations, international cooperation is crucial. The Global Fraud Summit aimed to enhance collaboration among nations and private sectors to disrupt these criminal operations while also promoting best practice and raising global standards in the call center industry.

In a major AI development, Figure – an AI robotics company based in California – has integrated OpenAI’s ChatGPT into its humanoid robot, Figure 01. The robot engages in conversations and tasks, mimicking natural speech patterns. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has expressed optimism about the future of robotics, collaborating with Figure to develop AI models for humanoid robots. This development raises questions about robotics’ role in achieving Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).

And on the topic of AI, an article by TechFinancials outlines how AI-powered virtual agents are set to boost South Africa’s BPO sector without job cuts. According to the article, AI would handle routine tasks, allowing human agents to focus on complex interactions. While transactional call volumes may dip, demand for relationship-based conversations is expected to rise, leading to more tech-focused job roles. Virtual agent technology is therefore advancing rapidly, offering efficient customer service across channels, where human–virtual agent collaboration will be essential to enhance customer support in the BPO sector.

PolyAI – an AI-powered customer service company based in London – has announced the “25 Women in CX to Watch” list, honoring leaders reshaping the customer experience landscape across various industries. These women demonstrate a commitment to CX excellence, pioneering innovative strategies and embracing technologies like conversational AI. PolyAI plans to feature their journeys in a podcast series.

Times BPO – a BPO firm based in Delhi, India – has introduced a program aimed at empowering entrepreneurs to establish and expand successful call center businesses. The program offers comprehensive support, including project acquisition, infrastructure setup, recruitment and training, technology solutions, and growth strategies. Engaging with the program will enable entrepreneurs to capitalize on the industry’s growth and achieve success.

In the United States, the intelligent data infrastructure company, NetApp, has announced new cyber-resiliency solutions that integrate AI and machine learning into storage to combat ransomware threats. With increasing attacks targeting critical infrastructure, NetApp’s updates provide real-time protection for primary and secondary data. These advancements aim to reinforce data security and resilience in hybrid and multi-cloud environments.