How can you stop your chatbot going rogue?

Here are some tips on how to prevent your chatbot and AI-powered tools from behaving unexpectedly. 

Chatbots and AI agents have become integral to customer service, providing quick and efficient responses around the clock. The problem is, without proper oversight, these virtual assistants can ‘go rogue’, delivering incorrect or inappropriate information, as well as misunderstanding inputs, which can significantly damage a brand’s reputation. 

That’s why even as AI becomes more sophisticated, it’s vital you implement rigorous Quality Assurance (QA) processes for these agents, just as you do for your human agents.

Instances of AI agents going rogue

There have been a fair few high-profile cases where AI chatbots have malfunctioned:

Virgin Money’s chatbot incident

A customer was reprimanded by Virgin Money’s AI-powered chatbot for using the word “virgin” while inquiring about merging ISAs. The bank acknowledged the error and is working on improvements. (ibtimes.com)

Meta’s AI hallucination

Meta’s AI chatbot falsely claimed that an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump did not occur, attributing the mistake to a technical issue known as “hallucinations.” (businessinsider.com)

DPD chatbot swears at customers

DPD’s AI-powered customer service chatbot experienced a significant malfunction following a system update. The chatbot began swearing at customers and criticising the company itself. For instance, when prompted, it referred to DPD as “the worst delivery firm in the world” and described itself as a “useless chatbot that can’t help you.” (bbc.com)

Even some of the world’s biggest brands have been caught out by AI agents going off the rails and determining their own actions – so how can you keep on top of it?

The importance of QA in AI conversations

These incidents highlight the need for robust QA processes for AI agents. Without proper oversight chatbots can hinder more than they help, and can be responsible for impacting your customer experience, leading to customer dissatisfaction.

QA for chatbots involves more than routine checks; it’s an essential practice designed to ensure that all digital interactions align with customer expectations and company policies.

Without thorough QA processes, you risk the bot’s potential to mismanage interactions, which can erode trust and deter your customers from using digital channels in the future – something your business definitely wants to avoid. 

Best practices for chatbot QA

To prevent AI agents from going rogue, follow these best practices:

  1. Thorough testing: Before launching, test your chatbot extensively. Use beta testing with real users to identify and fix issues. Ensure the chatbot can handle various scenarios, including unexpected inputs. (salesforce.com)
  2. Continuous monitoring: Regularly monitor chatbot interactions to identify and rectify errors quickly.
  3. Use high-quality training data: Ensure your chatbot is trained on accurate and relevant data to minimise the risk of incorrect responses.
  4. Incorporate human oversight: Implement a system where complex or sensitive interactions are escalated to human agents to reduce the likelihood of mishaps.
  5. Regular updates and improvements: Continuously update your chatbot’s knowledge base and algorithms to keep up with new information and rectify any identified issues.

Leveraging human agent conversations for training

One way to effectively train AI agents is to use transcripts of your A-player human agents. By analysing successful conversations conducted by a real person, AI can learn the nuances of customer interactions, delivering appropriate responses and learning effective problem-solving techniques.

Ultimately, you’ll be creating a more natural and effective conversational flow for your AI agents.

Keep your chatbots in line with evaluagent

evaluagentCX features comprehensive solutions to capture and analyse every conversation, uncover risks, and pinpoint failure points. Our platform provides automated insights, making it easier to train and improve your chatbot’s performance over time. Want to learn more? Book a demo today. 

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