Cognizant launches AI-powered contact centre with Google Cloud

Global systems integrator Cognizant has partnered with Google Cloud to launch Autonomous Customer Engagement, which is billed as an AI-led contact centre solution designed to deliver personalised customer experiences across industries.

The solution combines Cognizant's expertise in industry-specific processes and contact centre operations with Google Cloud's Customer Engagement Suite to deliver customised interactions.

Advanced AI agents anticipate customer demands and address requests in real-time across voice and digital channels using Google Cloud Voice AI's natural language processing and machine learning capabilities.

The platform is built to provide quicker resolutions, shorter wait times, and reduced operational costs through accurate understanding and response to user requests.

"Consumers are increasingly looking for seamless and positive experiences, and Cognizant's Autonomous Customer Engagement solution focuses on delivering personalised guest interactions at scale," Sandeep Bhasin, global head, health sciences, consumer goods and retail, Intuitive Operations and Automation, Cognizant, said.

"Through this innovative partnership with Google Cloud, Cognizant aims to significantly enhance customer experience through a dynamic combination of AI and human agents, backed by Cognizant's deep business process expertise."

Unlike traditional automation solutions, the platform takes an AI-first with human assist approach where virtual agents handle most customer interactions autonomously.

Virtual agents manage routine interactions and engage customers with conversations aligned with client-defined parameters and objectives.

Human agents intervene in scenarios requiring nuanced decision-making or emotional intelligence, providing continuity for customer challenge resolution.

Analytics and dynamic learning facilitate cross-selling by enabling agents to anticipate and address customer needs proactively.

"Enterprises can utilise agentic AI to fundamentally improve customer support, enhancing speed and personalisation whilst improving operational efficiency," Victor Morales, vice president of Global System Integrators Partnerships, Google Cloud, said.

"Our partnership with Cognizant will help deliver a new generation of support experiences that provide the high-quality, personalised outcomes that customers expect."

Future extensibility with Google Cloud's AgentSpace enables integration with out-of-the-box and custom AI agents and connectors for enterprise platforms compatible with the Agent2Agent protocol.