Reliance Jio moved to overhaul its customer service operations, patenting an AI-based bot it expects to revolutionise interactions by addressing barriers typically faced by subscribers.

In a statement, the operator said the Jio Video Call Assistant can be accessed on any 4G-compatible phone without the need for a separate app, and offers potential for customer care in industries beyond mobile.

The set-up was developed in conjunction with US-based Radisys. Jio stated the AI assistant offers the potential to reduce the time consumers spend on hold when contacting customer service divisions, and would also address what it termed “seemingly never-ending” Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems.

Specifically, the assistant streamlines the process of dealing with “repetitive queries” from customers, with AI used to listen and respond to questions. The system also offers a “unique auto-learning feature” designed to improve the accuracy of answers.

Jio also developed a tool it said will “democratise AI” by enabling small businesses to develop their own customer service bot “with no coding and minimal effort”. A range of avatars and multiple languages are available.