Applications
Enhancing customer experience through AI-driven chatbots & virtual assistants
Several businesses are adopting AI-driven chatbots and virtual assistants as there are proven benefits of their use in customer service. These services function 24×7 and are highly cost-effective. Since they are AI-driven, they offer personalisation options as well and can thus prove to be more effective and engaging. There are reports of certain customers who find AI chatbots highly frustrating to use for complex problems and prefer human customer service. Yet, for a majority of businesses, the plethora of benefits outweigh the few negatives. The various benefits are as follows:
1. Scalable and cost-effective – AI chatbots can handle multiple queries simultaneously, reducing wait time and managing spikes in customer demand. This efficiency and scalability reduce customer frustration while dealing with certain predefined, routine tasks.
2. Enhanced customer service and experience – unlike legacy chatbot, AI assistants and chatbots provide customised support in real-time 24×7. This prompt query resolution can lead to higher customer satisfaction.
3. Reduction in human error and enhanced accuracy – chatbots integrated with CRMs and knowledge bases, providing accurate information about their customers and business products and services. Making them an excellent choice for routine queries and FAQs.
4. Multilingual support – AI chatbots and assistants are trained on a vast dataset of multiple languages. NLP (natural language processing) algorithms can convert text from one language to another enabling them to assist a broad base of customers.
5. Flexibility – These bots can be integrated into multiple platforms such as websites, apps, social media enabling them to assist customers any and everywhere.
As mentioned above, most businesses deploy AI chatbots for personalization. However, at times they fail to deliver the level of personalization they were deployed for. This can lead to customer frustration and customer loss. Therefore, businesses maintain a good balance between AI chatbots for routine assistance and human customer service for more complex tasks. Many businesses integrate these chatbots with CRMs (customer relationship management), which serve as the centralised repository for customer engagement. This integration raises issues regarding data privacy and responsible use of customer information. Thus, AI-driven chatbots and virtual assistants emphasise the need for not just tech-driven solutions for businesses but also its collaboration with human support.
The article has been authored by Tagglabs founder Hariom Seth.
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
