Latest news with #Ada
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
An AI Agent Customers Love To Use? Yes, It's Possible—Here's How
Mike Murchison is CEO of Ada, an AI-powered platform transforming how brands around the world interact with the people that love them. We've all had the frustration of dealing with an AI customer service agent that simply isn't as good as a human. You're chatting about buying a family phone plan. So, how much does the basic plan cost? The AI agent quickly answers that question. But when you ask to switch to that family plan, you get plunged into a queue to speak with a representative. And forget about asking the agent to recommend the best plan based on your calling history. It obviously has no clue. Which raises the question: What makes a 'good' AI customer service agent? Right now, the best way to gauge an AI agent's capability is by measuring it against a person. For an entry-level human agent, the average bar is a 70% first call resolution (FCR) rate and an 80% customer satisfaction score (CSAT). A good AI agent will match or exceed those benchmarks. Sadly, today, most fall woefully short. And it's not a capability issue—under the hood, today's AI agents are powerful enough to handle complex challenges. The real problem is that most companies aren't integrating their agents into the business. They build a knowledge base, but don't empower the agent to actually help customers or personalize the customer experience. In other words, they never take off the training wheels. When 53% of consumers say they'd "consider switching to a competitor if they found out a company was going to use AI for customer service," that's a problem. It doesn't have to be that way. Here are three critical capabilities that any AI customer service agent needs to start realizing its full potential. 1. Domain Expertise: Does the agent know its stuff? With a new AI agent, the first step is giving it expertise in the company's domain. How much knowledge does the agent have to do its job? Let's say you're shopping for a pair of glasses online. At a simple level, any AI agent should be able to handle FAQs and deliver basic product information. But this is just the start. A more advanced AI agent will have deep knowledge of the entire product line, drawing from a broad pool of company resources and insights from fellow employees. To get here requires an ingredient too many companies overlook: coaching. Just like any new employee, AI needs regular coaching from a manager. When this is done right, the agent grows more helpful and accurate over time. It doesn't just recommend glasses, for instance—it goes deep on the pros and cons of different frames and what faces they work best with. 2. Personalization: Does the agent know you? Every capable AI agent must be able to personalize its exchanges with customers. The key question here is: How intimately does the agent know the person it's helping? On a foundational level, the AI agent at your bank should know your name. Moving up in sophistication, without having to speak to you, it should know all of your account info, including the fact that you bought a particular index fund last month. A capable agent builds on that foundation by tailoring its answers and actions to you. It knows you prefer easy-to-understand explanations to financial jargon, for example. It also knows your preferred channel—phone rather than text—and the best time of day to call you. Plus, it can recommend another index fund that better suits your needs. That kind of personalization is a hit with consumers, who "ranked customized sales offers as the number one positive impact of AI on customer service." 3. Task Automation: Can the agent actually get stuff done? A third critical skill for a capable AI agent is task automation. Here, we're talking about how good the agent is at doing things for customers on its own. This is the difference between merely supplying information ('To open a checking account, visit your local branch') and actually taking action on a customer's behalf ('Leave it with me! I'll open a new account and text you when it's ready'). Like domain expertise and personalization, task automation requires coaching to level up. Out of the box, an agent should be able to do something simple with a short time horizon, like help a customer reset their password. A more advanced agent will be able to handle complex tasks with a longer time frame—for example, taking charge of approving or denying an insurance claim. What's needed to reach a high level of task automation? Granting the agent executive function so it's not just an information source. That means giving it access to company tools and systems, but also ensuring it can interact with humans in the company for approval and oversight. A good agent, for instance, might determine that an insurance claim is valid but defer to a human team member for final approval before sharing news with the customer. One caveat: For businesses using AI customer support, it's important to remember that evaluating an agent's performance isn't a box-ticking exercise. It's a spectrum. The limits of domain expertise, personalization and task automation are continually expanding as AI improves. AI's ability to gather feedback from interactions and self-learn promises to push customer service to new levels. That's why, at the end of the day, benchmarking an AI agent against a human is just an initial litmus test. Companies can and should aspire to more than just meeting our low collective bar for customer service. Deployed correctly, AI can raise the bar and turn merely 'satisfied' users into customers for life. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Gilded Age' Season 3 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out?
Season 3 of The Gilded Age has arrived, packed to the brim with new faces and new challenges for the beloved ensemble in the period piece. Created by Downton Abbey boss Julian Fellowes with Sonja Warfield and directed by Michael Engler, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Deborah Kampmeier and Crystle Robertson Dorsey, the period drama centers on two families — one old money and one new money — as they navigate New York society at a significant turn of the century for which the show is named. More from Deadline Everything We Know About 'The Gilded Age' Season 3 So Far 'The Gilded Age' Season 3 Trailer Teases Divorce And Rebellion Come June Premiere Marc Maron Sets Premiere Date For Second HBO Comedy Special 'Panicked' Find the full episode release schedule and more details about Season 3 below: When does Season 3 premiere? The third season of The Gilded Age premiered Sunday, June 22, on HBO and HBO Max. How many episodes are in Season 3? Season 3 will unfold in eight episodes. When do new episodes of come out on HBO Max? Do new episodes come out weekly or all at once? New episodes will arrive once a week on Sunday nights. The full rollout can be found below: Episode 1: 'Who Is In Charge Here?' – Sunday, June 22 Episode 2 – Sunday, June 29 Episode 3 – Sunday, July 6 Episode 4 – Sunday, July 13 Episode 5 – Sunday, July 20 Episode 6 – Sunday, July 27 Episode 7 – Sunday, August 3 Episode 8 – Sunday, August 10 What happened in Season 2 of ? Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) fought — and won — a war of opera houses, converting a large portion of the old money crowd to the Metropolitan Opera. Marian (Louisa Jacobson) received a second proposal of marriage by one Dashiel Montgomery (David Furr), whom she did not love. She ended up turning him down. Peggy Scott (Denée Benton) kept it moving in the journalism world, but she got tangled up in a forbidden romance with T. Thomas Fortune (Sullivan Jones), head editor of The Globe newspaper. Ada Brook (Cynthia Nixon) met Reverend Luke Forte (Robert Sean Leonard), fell in love and married him, but he unfortunately was diagnosed with cancer and died. Oscar van Rhijn (Blake Ritson) gambled away his mother's money to one Maude Beaton (Nicole Brydon Bloom) causing a role reversal between his mother Agnes (Christine Baranski) and Ada when Ada came into money from her late husband. Marian saw some hope as Larry Russell (Harry Richardson) kissed her at the end of Season 2. Larry also took an interest in Jack Trotter's (Ben Ahlers) clock invention. RELATED: Who is in Season 3? Coon, Baranski, Nixon, Jacobson, Benton, Ahlers, Richardson and Ritson will return to reprise their roles. Morgan Spector will return as George Russell, and Taissa Farmiga will return as Gladys Russell. Of course the downstairs staff of both the Russell and van Rhijn/Forte houses will return as well — Jack Gilpin (Church), Douglas Sills (Chef Baudin), Celia Keenan-Bolger (Mrs. Bruce), Erin Wilhelmi (Adelheid), Simon Jones (Bannister), Debra Monk (Armstrong), Kristine Nielsen (Mrs. Bauer) and more. New faces will include Phylicia Rashad as Mrs. Elizabeth Kirkland, Brian Stokes Mitchell as Frederick Kirkland, Jordan Donica as Dr. William Kirkland, Victoria Clark as Joan Carlton, Merritt Wever as Monica O'Brien, Bill Camp as J.P. Morgan, Leslie Uggams as Mrs. Ernestine Brown, Lisagay Hamilton as Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, Jessica Frances Dukes as Athena Trumbo, Paul Alexander Nolan as Alfred Maerrick, Hatti Morahan as Lady Sarah Vere, Andrea Martin as medium Madame Dashkova, Dylan Baker as Dr. Logan, Kate Baldwin as Nancy Adams Bell, Michael Cumpsty as Lord Mildmay, John Ellison Conlee as Weston, Bobby Steggert as John Singer Sargent and Hannah Shealy as Charlotte Astor. RELATED: Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds A Full Timeline Of Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni's 'It Ends With Us' Feud In Court, Online & In The Media
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
Andrea Torres: The Love She Owed Herself
I 've known Andrea Torres, Ada to me, for years. I've witnessed her journey not only as an actress, but as a woman quietly building a life filled with depth, resilience, and grace. She's loved fiercely, waited patiently, and worked tirelessly. But like many women who give too much without realizing it, Ada is only now learning to give the love she's owed herself. And it's a line that, I think, resonates throughout every part of her life. Her hopes for lasting romance, her sacred devotion to family, and the unspoken grace she's slowly learning to extend inward. During our sit-down for GMA Integrated News Interviews, I asked a question fans always want answered: How's the heart? And as expected, Ada didn't respond with theatrics. She answered with calm, lived-in truth. 'I welcome it,' she said, about love. 'Hindi yung sa ayaw ko lang i-pressure kasi pag hinahanap mo, namamali ka, sa kagustuhan mo lang na magkaroon ng partner, di ba? Mas okay na may spark eh. Minsan lahat ng traits okay, pero may hinahanap kang kilig na 'di mo ma-explain.' When I followed up—Ano ba yung hinahanap mo?—her answer came without hesitation. 'Gusto ko lang talaga na pareho kami ng values, lalo na family-oriented ako.' A da isn't waiting to be rescued. She's not seeking perfection. She's waiting for a love that aligns with the life she's already built, a life anchored in values and shaped by strength. The kind of love she's seen and lived through her family. And at the heart of that is Kenneth, her younger brother born with autism and Down syndrome. When Andrea talks about Kenneth, it's with deep affection and unwavering respect, the way you speak of someone who's shown you what unconditional love truly looks like. 'Alam namin na binigay siya sa amin kasi capable kami na magmahal nang ganoon kalaki.' Kenneth is more than her 'lucky charm.' He's a daily reminder of what love can look like when it's consistent and pure. Every year on his birthday, July 27, something beautifully major seems to happen in Andrea's life. But it's the day-to-day: his hugs, his smile, his presence, that fills her. 'Iba yung tanggal ng pagod once na ngitian ka, once na i-hug ka.' When Andrea found herself in one of her lowest emotional points last year, it was Kenneth she turned to; not for answers, but for comfort. His presence, wordless yet full, was enough to help her find her footing again. "L ast year, medyo nahirapan ako,' she admitted. 'Dumarating ka sa point sa life mo na nag-re-reflect ka: na-reach mo na ba ang goals mo? May time pa ba? Nasa tamang landas ba ako? Masyado bang malaki ang dream ko?' This may sound familiar to most of us. Isn't this the kind of self-questioning many high-achieving individuals wrestle with quietly? Ada is no exception. She has always been seen as composed and unshaken. But behind that steadiness is a woman who, like many of us, forgets to look back and say, 'You've done well. You've come far.' 'Ever since six years old ako, gusto ko mag-artista. Grateful naman ako dahil kahit prof yung dad ko, hinayaan niya ako kung kailangan ko mag-stop saglit, kasi alam niyang yun talaga ang gusto ko. Na-realize ko na minsan nakakalimutan mo na, 'oo, marami ka pang gustong gawin, pero marami ka na ring nagawa'… na nakakalimutan mong bigyan ng credit yung sarili mo. Minsan iniisip ko, bakit sa akin ang hirap? Pero siguro masasabi ko na at least lahat ng meron ako, na-earn ko yun. Nilaban ko yun. Iba yung appreciation mo sa work mo kapag pinaghirapan mo talaga,' she said, tearing up. COURTESY: NELSON CANLAS The way she speaks about work, family, and love reveals a deep truth: for most of her life, Andrea has shown up for everyone else. But now, finally, she's learning to show up for herself. In truth, it's not a fallback—it's a long-overdue decision to begin again, this time with herself at the center. It's the love she's been waiting to share with the right person—but no longer seeks out of urgency. It's the love she's given unconditionally to her family, who reflect it back to her in the purest way. And, it's the love she's learning to reclaim for herself, slowly, without apology. Andrea isn't incomplete. She isn't behind. She's right on time—for the love she's always deserved. And maybe what we all need to hear is this: Giving yourself the love you give so easily to others isn't selfish—it's how you begin to heal. This isn't a story about longing. It's about becoming. And Andrea Torres is becoming someone who finally sees herself... the way she's always deserved to be seen. Andrea stars as Carol in the upcoming Afternoon Prime series "Akusada," where she takes on her dream role: An offbeat character burdened by guilt. — LA, GMA Integrated News
Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
The Gilded Age Season 3 returns with drama and shift in power dynamics — full Episode 1 recap and Episode 2 release date
The Gilded Age Season 3: The Gilded Age is back, and the power plays are only just beginning. After a season-long hiatus, HBO's opulent period drama has returned with its third season, once again diving into the glittering world of 1880s New York high society. With old money clashing against new wealth and personal ambitions threatening to upend tradition, The Gilded Age wastes no time getting back into its trademark social tug-of-war. If Episode 1 left you craving more, we've got you covered with a detailed recap of everything that went down, from Bertha Russell's Opera House triumph to the growing tension between Ada and Agnes, and a look at when Season 3 Episode 2 will release. Here's everything you need to know. What's The Gilded Age Season 3 about? Created by Downton Abbey's Julian Fellowes, The Gilded Age explores the collision of wealth, power, and rigid social mores. The fresh season explores the intrigue among four central families: the nouveau-riche Russells (Baranski, Spector, Brown), the aristocratic van Rhijns (Nixon, Walter), the free-thinking Scotts (Benton, Nathan Lane), and the newly arrived Marian Brook (Jacobson). The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 1 recap In the Season 3 opener Who Is in Charge Here?, The Gilded Age turns its gaze to the once-solid bond between sisters Ada Brook (Cynthia Nixon) and Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski). After losing her fortune in Season 2, Agnes expected life to go on as usual until Ada, newly wealthy from her late husband's estate, casually invites the Temperance League into their Fifth Avenue parlour. Agnes's calm authority shatters as she watches Ada, for the first time, boss around servants and guests with a thrill in her voice. Every pointed question Agnes tosses Ada's way, 'Who's in charge here?' echoes the shock of a household turned upside down. For Agnes, identity and power were inseparable, as she'd always been the older sister, the decision-maker. Stripped of her savings and status, she's left to grapple with an unfamiliar role of spectator in her own home. Baranski describes this as Agnes's toughest challenge yet, learning that deference and privilege aren't guaranteed, no matter your birthright. Ada, who once shied away from every big choice, now feels the rush of calling the shots. Nixon notes Ada's decision-making 'muscles' are new and untested, but she dives in headfirst, delighting in directing household business and discovering a side of herself she never knew existed. It's a heady mix of excitement and uncertainty, as Ada balances newfound power with the fear of misstep. The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 2 release date and time New episodes drop weekly—Episode 2 of The Gilded Age Season 3 premieres Sunday, June 29, 2025, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and Max. Don't miss the next chapter in this lavish portrait of ambition and change. For more news and updates from the world of Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Elle
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Elle
'The Gilded Age' Season 3 Kicks Off with Some Serious Power Moves
Spoilers below. Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) was the clear victor of the Opera Wars that dominated the second season of The Gilded Age. The Metropolitan Opera House's grand opening was a triumph, adding another jewel to the nouveau riche Bertha's society crown. Now, Bertha has an even shinier target: a British duke. But her daughter Gladys (Taissa Farmiga) has different ideas about who she might wed. Bertha faces stiff competition as the Russell patriarch, robber baron George (Morgan Spector), has promised Gladys that she can marry for love. 'Who Is in Charge Here?' is the premiere title, which applies to more than just the Russells. The lavish HBO period drama kicks off with myriad attempts to grab power or assert control in a society with a fondness for rules that rarely favor women. One such incident underscores how divorce in 1880s New York City could be life-ruining even if you aren't the one who committed adultery. It is an eye-opening moment in a season premiere as decadent as the dazzling costumes from Emmy-nominated Kasia Walicka-Maimone. Read on to find out who is at loggerheads, get an update on the clock plot, and learn who is being painted by legendary portrait artist John Singer Sargent. Agnes Van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) almost lost everything after her son Oscar (Blake Ritson) fell for a con that drained the family finances. Or rather, Agnes lost everything, but a surprise inheritance from Ada's (Cynthia Nixon) husband, Luke Forte (Robert Sean Leonard), saved them from downsizing. Luke's tragic death left Ada with a hole in her heart and the financial means to save her sister. Ada is now the mistress of the house, but that doesn't mean Agnes is falling in line behind her younger sister, especially with the new cause Ada is championing. One early point of contention stems from Ada hosting a temperance meeting. 'Let the sober circus begin,' Agnes quips as people arrive at East 61st Street in the snow. Ada won't let her sister bully her, though, explaining that she has chosen this cause because she wants to honor Luke's memory. 'He cared about people and I will too,' Ada reasons. Of course, Agnes points out the flaws as Luke drank wine with dinner and served Holy Communion. No one does withering delivery quite like Baranski as she takes pleasure in every barb and eye roll. A highlight of this new dynamic is that Ada no longer allows herself to be a doormat. Ada pushes back, instantly making this dynamic even more compelling. Agnes takes her pettiness to new heights and won't let her sister use the good silver for the meeting, prompting confusion regarding the conflicting orders. They want Bannister (Simon Jones ), the butler, to resolve this issue, as they can't have two mistresses. However, it is not as simple as that because Agnes always speaks her mind. On Bridgerton and The Buccaneers, marrying a duke is mainly seen as desirable. However, on The Gilded Age, Gladys only has eyes for sweet Billy Carlton (Matt Walker). Knowing their mother will object, Larry (Harry Richardson) helps his sister meet up with Billy in secret so the couple can discuss their plans to wed. Billy wants to talk to George about proposing, who is currently on business in Arizona. Later at the opera, Billy is concerned about the gossip items he has read in the newspapers that indicate Hector, the Duke of Buckingham (Ben Lamb), is returning to New York to be with Gladys. However, Gladys thinks her father will ensure she can marry for love, not a title. By now, Gladys should realize that Bertha rules the domestic roost. So much so that when Billy's mother thinks she will find common ground with Bertha about the happy union, Bertha immediately shuts down this talk of celebration. Mamie Fish (Ashlie Atkinson) helped with the whole opera meet-up. 'I'll suffer for that,' she says. However, Mamie also lives for the drama, making this spat worth it. When Bertha confronts Larry about the ruse, she mentions that Mrs. Fish loves gossip more than anything, and he was stupid to involve her. Larry won't be bullied by his mother, insisting Gladys should have a choice. Bertha thinks her children are young and foolish, and even though Larry puts up a fight, there is no winning. Unknown to Bertha, Larry is also in love and, like his sister, he is unofficially betrothed. Marian (Louisa Jacobson) doesn't want to go public yet, as it has only been a few months since she broke off her second engagement. She still has to pass the Bertha Russell test. At the end of season 2, Bertha promised Gladys's hand in marriage (and sizable dowry) to Hector. It would be uncouth to admit that she is planting stories about this forthcoming union in the newspapers, but Bertha is doing everything she can to make this happen. Part of this scheme to ensure her daughter becomes the face of society is commissioning a painting by John Singer Sargent. The Gilded Age has long sprinkled real-life figures amid the fictitious, from regular characters like Caroline Astor (Donna Murphy) and Mrs. Fish to Oscar Wilde and Booker T. Washington. Having Gladys sit for Sargent is another example of how the series marries historical authenticity with the outlandish antics playing out. Bertha is enamored with Sargent and finds the whole Madame X scandal alluring. That particular painting (a personal favorite of many, including myself) now hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and recently was on loan at Tate Britain in London (I have seen it in both locations). Bertha references the Mrs. Burckhardt painting ('Lady with the Rose') as capturing a young woman becoming a woman, which is what she wants for Gladys's portrait. While Gladys doesn't understand the fuss, Bertha recognizes the value. Later, Gladys tries to reason that her mother would have loved to see her daughter married to someone from a family like Billy's, but Bertha says they have overtaken them. Now, Gladys needs someone who matches her station. The two can't agree, but Bertha doesn't foresee her daughter running away in the middle of the night. Gladys isn't waiting for her father to get home to fix this mess, but is she eloping? Speaking of George, he is on a business trip out west (Morenci, Arizona, to be precise) because he has grand plans to build a railway line from New York to Chicago and Chicago to Los Angeles. If it comes together, it will be his crowning glory, but it is a huge gamble. For starters, George needs to persuade the land owners that it is a good deal to sell off their mines, which gets off to a slow start.. It is a precocious time for the banks in New York, with George getting called back to the city as there is a 'run on' another financial institution. If too many people withdraw cash, it will go under, and George will lose a fortune. It seems unlikely that George will have too much time to deal with Bertha's plans to wed Gladys—or the funds for the dowry. Will this cause cracks in their own marriage? Theirs is not the only union under strain, and perhaps the most shocking moment of the premiere comes courtesy of Charles Fane (Ward Horton). Until now, Charles hasn't left much of an impression beyond his pearly white smile, but I was ready to fight for his wife Aurora (Kelli O'Hara) when he arrived home late and announced he was leaving her. Aurora could not believe her ears when Charles dropped the mistress bombshell. Aurora has always been sweet and supportive to her family and newcomers like Bertha, but a divorce will end her social life. It might sound incredibly dramatic, yet this exile is likely even though she did nothing wrong. For starters, it is Aurora who will have to file for divorce because Charles is the adulterer, and she needs to establish residency in Newport because New York courts allow the press to enter. Aurora refuses to do so, but Charles makes it clear he will marry the other woman. When Aurora tells Agnes, Ada, and Marian, they are as aghast as Aurora. Marian thinks their friends will surely not turn their backs because she is innocent in all of this. 'Society is not known for its logic, especially where women are concerned,' Aurora responds. Sadly, history tends to show Aurora is right. Another person struggling with their place in the world is footman Jack (Ben Ahlers), who continues to work on his clock invention with Larry as his partner. But some characters view his ambition with suspicion or jealousy. When Jack meets with Larry at the Russell household, there is confusion about whether the Russell footman should serve Jack refreshments. Larry thinks it is ridiculous that his staff assumed otherwise, but the Russell employees make their dissatisfaction known to Jack when he leaves. Adelheid (Erin Wilhelmi) tells Jack he is getting in over his head, which is not true. In fact, Jack needs to speak up and let Larry know he needs to be at the meetings with potential investors, as Larry has no idea about the clock mechanics. Thankfully, Jack's colleagues are far more supportive (Armstrong aside) and dismiss Adelheid's cruel words. They support and want the best for Jack, giving him the boost he needs for confidence. Another person moving up is Peggy Scott (Denée Benton), who traveled to her parents' home in Brooklyn to pick up some mail: the Christian Recorder wants to publish an extract from her work-in-progress novel. After traveling back to the Van Rhijn/Forte residence in the snow, Peggy tries to write new chapters throughout the episode, but gets sicker and sicker. At first, Peggy dismisses the concerns, saying she probably picked something minor up in the cold. But as her cough worsens, Agnes sends for the family physician. However, the doctor refuses to see Peggy because she is Black. Agnes is horrified, especially as Peggy sounds rather ill. In this emergency, Oscar says they must send for her parents, with Jack taking the message. Peggy's father is a pharmacist, and they probably should have contacted the Scotts earlier. For all the frivolity of storylines about socialite marriage and other silly plotlines, Peggy's dilemma is a reminder of the racist 19th-century realities. Despite Agnes thinking she has the power in this household, there are matters she cannot control, which are far more egregious than her sister's new status.
