| | | | | | | Presented By SoftBank Group | | | | Axios What's Next | | By Jennifer A. Kingson and Joann Muller ·Apr 01, 2022 | | Coming Tuesday at Axios' inaugural What's Next Summit: - Emerson Collective founder Laurene Powell Jobs and chef José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, will join Mike Allen to discuss the future of immigration, philanthropy and more. Register here to watch.
- See anything cool that's changing our world? Email us at whatsnext@axios.com.
Today's Smart Brevity count: 1,188 words ... 4.5 minutes. | | | | | | 1 big thing: Chatbots that really get you |  | | | Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios | | | | Customer service chatbots are becoming kinder, smarter and even more helpful, thanks to huge leaps in artificial intelligence, Joann Muller writes. Why it matters: Chatbots can be aggravating if their formulaic responses don't provide the help you're searching for — what customer service experts refer to as "the spiral of misery," per the New York Times. - More capable AI promises to make those encounters less robotic with personas that employ "soft skills" like empathy to read between the lines and defuse tension.
- That could make customers happier and allow companies to spend less time answering questions on the website and more time focused on other things.
What's happening: Chatbots, computer programs intended to replicate human conversation, have been around for decades. Now, however, they are becoming far more ubiquitous — and personable. - New machine learning techniques have made them much better at carrying on their end of the conversation, via both text and voice.
- Improvements in natural language processing mean bots are better at understanding and producing language.
- They can even interpret the intent of a customer's inquiry and analyze what's transpiring during a chat session, explains Bern Elliot, a technology analyst at Gartner.
- For example: "It sounds like you need to make a deposit, and you need to locate an ATM — is that correct?" he tells Axios.
- Some of the most successful chatbots even have human personas like Nanci (GM Financial), Sydney (health insurance company Anthem) and Erica (Bank of America).
What to watch: New user-friendly AI products make it easy for non-techies to create custom chatbots without writing any lines of computer code themselves. The intrigue: One "no-code" startup, Juji, uses machine learning to infer a user's unique characteristics — are they an extrovert or an introvert, for example — in order to personalize each interaction, founder Michelle Zhou tells Axios. - The bots are designed to be empathetic, and maybe even tell a joke if they detect unease, she said: "We want to make the person feel like, 'I've been heard'."
Our thought bubble: An efficient chatbot can be a blessing, but it's never going to be easy for customers to feel truly "heard" by a piece of code, even one shaped by AI. And cracking jokes trips up actual humans all the time. Read the rest |     | | | | | | 2. A digital academy to fight cyberattacks |  | | | Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios | | | | Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt hit Capitol Hill this week to urge lawmakers to create a digital service academy that would train Americans in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and cryptocurrency in exchange for government service, Margaret Harding McGill writes. Why it matters: The looming threat of cyberattacks from U.S. adversaries such as Russia underscores the need for tech-savvy employees in the federal workforce. Driving the news: Schmidt envisions a four-year, digital training academy for civilians who would then work for the federal government for five years. - "We're really convinced that getting AI and crypto talent into the government is crucial," Schmidt told Axios in an interview. "The systems that are coming are so complicated that the government, who's well-meaning, will not be able to manage them. You're going to need better talent."
- Initially, the program could be an approved curriculum at universities before becoming a separate academy.
The big picture: The federal government faces a severe shortage of workers skilled in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, according to a Government Accountability Office report from November. The intrigue: Schmidt told Axios he met with members of the For Country Caucus, a bipartisan group of military veterans in Congress, to push them on including the idea as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, an annual must-pass defense spending bill. Read the full story | | | | | | | | 3. Technology can clear your rap sheet, automatically |  | | | Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios | | | | Red and blue states across the country are leaning on technologists to help automatically clear eligible criminal records as a way to expand the workforce, Margaret also writes in Axios Login. Why it matters: Criminal records are a barrier for employment and housing, but clearing them can be a costly and time-consuming process, and millions of eligible Americans don't even try. The big picture: One in three Americans has a criminal record — such as an arrest that never led to a conviction — that will appear on a background check for housing or employment, according to the Clean Slate Initiative, a national bipartisan coalition. - States have existing mechanisms for expunging or sealing records, but the petition process can be costly and confusing.
- Code for America, a nonprofit that works on criminal justice issues, estimates that only a fraction of the people eligible pursue that process.
- Code for America technologists worked with Utah to implement its clean slate law, clearing the records of 500,000 eligible residents in February.
Pennsylvania passed the first Clean Slate law in 2018, and Michigan, Delaware and Connecticut are among the states working to implement new automatic record clearance laws. - Eligibility varies on a state by state basis but generally includes non-violent offenses.
What's happening: New York, Colorado and Oklahoma are the latest states to advance legislation that would automate the process for record sealing or expungement. Read the story | | | | | | | | A message from SoftBank Group | | Creating a more empowered, connected future | | |  | | | | SoftBank Group — a global investor in AI and transformative technology — is proud to support the Smithsonian's FUTURES exhibit, at the Arts + Industries Building through July 6. Come experience this interactive, cutting-edge technology journey, and be part of creating a better future. | | | | | | 4. Climate groups push together for greener bitcoin |  | | | Illustration: Megan Robinson/Axios | | | | Environmental groups just launched a campaign aimed at pressuring bitcoin miners to adopt more climate-friendly practices, Ben Geman, writes in Axios Generate. Why it matters: Verifying and recording transactions involves power-hungry computing equipment, spurring fears about growing CO2 emissions. Driving the news: Greenpeace and the Environmental Working Group are leading the "Change the Code, Not the Climate" campaign. - Chris Larsen, the billionaire co-founder of the digital payments company Ripple, personally provided an initial $5 million.
- Former Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune is advising the campaign.
Zoom in: Activists want bitcoin miners to ditch the "proof of work" process for validating transactions. Reality check: It's a steep and maybe impossible uphill climb, says Axios' Brady Dale, who adds: - The two leading blockchains have wildly different cultures. Yes, ethereum is shifting to a new consensus mechanism, but it also launched without a supply cap (the limit of 21 million bitcoins is hard-coded in). They are fundamentally different projects that attract different crowds.
What's next: One goal is convincing investors to apply pressure. "Goldman Sachs, BlackRock, PayPal, Venmo, Fidelity — there are lots of companies we anticipate will be helpful to this effort," Brune tells Bloomberg. Read the rest | | | | | | | | 5. Ice cream for dogs is becoming a thing |  | | | Photos courtesy of Salty Paws | | | | Philadelphia dogs have something new to wag their tails about, Alexa Mencia writes in Axios Philadelphia. What's happening: Salty Paws, which pegs itself as the city's first ice cream shop for dogs, is opening its ninth location — in Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square — this weekend. What to expect: Lactose-free and goat milk ice cream, with flavors ranging from cookie crumble to liver crunch, complete with a full toppings bar. - Dogs can dine in the store, or pet owners can grab a cup to go.
- The shop will also sell bones, treats, baked goods, collars, leashes and toys, Karla Shanesy, the Philadelphia store's owner, tells Axios.
Plus: The ice cream is safe for cats too, Shanesy says. They'll have a full line of cat products for sale as well. The big picture: Ice cream for dogs is rapidly becoming a take-home consumer product, with offerings from Ben & Jerry's and specialty brands like Pooch Creamery coming to market. | | | | | | | | A message from SoftBank Group | | Accelerating human progress through technology | | | | | | | | At SoftBank Group, we invest in companies that accelerate human progress through technology. That's why we're proud to support the Smithsonian's FUTURES exhibit, which challenges us to envision how technology can enable a more empowered, connected world. | | | | Was this email forwarded to you? Get your daily dose of What's Next magic by signing up for our free newsletter here. |  | It's called Smart Brevity®. Over 200 orgs use it — in a tool called Axios HQ — to drive productivity with clearer workplace communications. | | | | | | Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here.
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