Have you ever wondered how AI can slash customer service resolution times from 11 minutes to 30 seconds—without sacrificing empathy? Meet Celene Osiecka, Director of Conversational AI at 24[7].ai, who’s redefining the balance between automation and human connection.
Welcome to another edition of our exclusive interview series on AllAboutAI.com. Today, we’re diving into the mind of Celene Osiecka, a visionary leader shaping the future of customer experience (CX) with ethical, human-centric AI.
With 15+ years in AI-driven CX and a track record of transforming Fortune 500 giants like airlines, retailers, and healthcare providers, Celene’s work at 24[7].ai tackles one of tech’s toughest paradoxes: How do you automate efficiency while preserving the irreplaceable human touch?
From Hollywood-quality AI lip-syncing to HR’s automation resistance, we explore:
- How generative AI cuts customer service costs by 45% for global brands.
- Why empathy-driven tasks (like insurance death claims) still need humans.
- The ethical tightrope of AI bias—and how 24[7].ai scrubs sensitive data in real time.
Join us as Celene reveals proven strategies for blending AI speed with human warmth—and why HR might be automation’s “final frontier.”
Celene Osiecka, Director of Conversational AI at 24[7].ai, isn’t just building chatbots—she’s redefining how businesses balance automation with human empathy. With 24[7].ai powering solutions for Fortune 500 companies across retail, airlines, and healthcare, Celene’s team tackles one of AI’s biggest paradoxes: “How do you automate without losing the human touch?”
In this exclusive deep-dive, we unpack her insights on Gen AI’s ethical pitfalls, HR’s automation resistance, and the $1.6M cost-saving case study that proves AI’s ROI.
The Evolution: From “Dumb Chatbots” to Generative AI
The Dark Ages of Scripted Bots
Celene recalls the early days of conversational AI:
“We had rigid, scripted chatbots that followed ‘Yes/No’ trees. If a customer deviated even slightly, the bot would crash. It was like talking to a broken record.”
The Gen AI Revolution
With Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT-4, the game changed:
- Intent Detection: AI now understands messy, real-world queries (e.g., “I sent a package to a hotel… is the zip code right?”).
- Omnichannel Flexibility: Seamlessly switch users between voice, chat, and email without losing context.
“Gen AI lets us handle ambiguity. A customer might say, ‘My delivery is MIA.’ Old bots froze. Now, we connect it to tracking APIs in seconds.” Celene
The $1.6M Breakthrough: How AI Saved a Marine Retail Giant
The Problem
A leading boat manufacturer faced:
- 11-minute resolution times for logistics queries.
- 0% automation on digital channels (all queries went to agents).
The 24[7].ai Solution
- Agentic Bots: AI handled order tracking, returns, and inventory checks.
- Human-in-the-Loop: Agents monitored complex cases (e.g., “Is my warranty valid after a flood?”).
Results:
- 45% of queries resolved in 30 seconds (vs. 11 minutes).
- $1.6M saved annually by shifting 80% of voice traffic to digital.
“Clients think AI is about replacing humans. It’s not. It’s about letting agents focus on high-value tasks—like empathy-driven support.” Celene
Ethics & Bias: The Invisible Battle in AI
PII Scrubbing & Security
24[7].ai’s approach to sensitive data:
- Secure “Cards”: Customers enter payment/address details via encrypted forms (not chat).
- Real-Time Masking: AI auto-blurs sensitive info (e.g., credit card numbers) in transcripts.
Celene’s Warning:
“Collecting PII in chat is like storing cash in a glass box. Our bots never ‘see’ it—they just pass it securely to payment gateways.”
Bias Mitigation
- Global Data Training: Models learn from 10M+ interactions across 15+ languages.
- QA “Ethics Audits”: Humans flag biased responses (e.g., gender assumptions in HR queries).
Example:
“A bot once assumed nurses were female. We retrained it with data from male-dominated industries like engineering.”
Human vs. AI: The 80/20 Rule of CX
When to Automate
- Repetitive Tasks: “Tracking orders, updating addresses—bots excel here.”
- 24/7 Multilingual Support: “AI doesn’t care if it’s 3 AM or Mandarin.”
When Humans Rule
- Empathy-Driven Scenarios:
- “Death claims, accidents, medical emergencies—never automate these.”
- Complex Judgment Calls:
- “Is this warranty exception worth $10K? Let humans decide.”
Celene’s Golden Rule:
“If a query makes you uncomfortable, it shouldn’t be automated.”
The Future: Agentic Bots, HR Battles & Guardrail-Centric AI
Trend 1: Agentic Bots
AI that plans multi-step workflows:
- “Cancel order → Refund → Notify warehouse → Reschedule delivery.”
Celene’s Vision:
“Imagine bots that don’t just answer questions—they solve problems end-to-end.”
Trend 2: HR’s Automation Struggle
Why HR is AI’s “final frontier”:
- “Employees cling to old habits. Asking a bot about PTO feels impersonal.”
- Solution: Gamified onboarding + AI trainers to ease adoption.
Trend 3: Guardrail-Centric Gen AI
- Human Babysitters: Agents review AI outputs to curb hallucinations.
- Compliance Layers: Auto-redact legally risky phrases (e.g., “guaranteed approval” in finance).
Key Takeaways for CX Leaders
- Start with High-Volume, Low-Risk Tasks: “Automate password resets before death claims.”
- Audit for Bias Quarterly: Test bots with diverse age/gender/ethnicity groups.
- Blend Channels: Let users switch from voice to chat without repeating themselves.
- Measure Beyond Cost Savings: Track CSAT, resolution time, and employee morale.
