Collaborating with Microsoft, Telkomsel expands AI collaboration

Foto : Ilustrasi

JAKARTA (IndoTelko) - Telkomsel expands its strategic collaboration with Microsoft to enhance its customers' digital lifestyle experience by strengthening the integration of Azure AI into Telkomsel's customer and business platforms, as well as improving its network availability. This strategic collaboration was formalized through the signing of the agreement on 27 February 2024 at Fira Gran Via, coinciding with the Mobile World Congress 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. These collaborative efforts align with Telkomsel's endeavor to become the leading digital telco service provider in the region by consistently delivering innovative solutions to customers through the utilization of the latest technology.

Telkomsel's Marketing Director, Derrick Heng stated, "Through the expanded collaboration with Microsoft, it enables us to strengthen the AI capabilities across various services we offer, thus providing smarter, more efficient, and innovative services for all customers. We are very excited to collaborate with Microsoft to explore new opportunities to enhance various current services and solutions. In doing so, we can provide the best experience for our customers in enjoying various digital activities in their daily lives."

While Telkomsel's Planning & Transformation Director, Wong Soon Nam added, "Telkomsel's collaborative endeavors signify its steadfast commitment to staying at the forefront of innovation. By continually integrating the latest technologies, such as Microsoft Azure AI, into its operations, Telkomsel aims to meet the dynamic needs of its customers within the rapidly changing digital landscape. This strategic initiative not only ensures that Telkomsel remains competitive but also underscores its dedication to delivering exceptional services and creating added value for its customers."

On the same occasion, Telkomsel's Information Technology Director, Bharat Alva says, “As a leading digital telecommunication service provider in Indonesia, Telkomsel remains dedicated to delivering state-of-the-art experiences for all Indonesians. Telkomsel has consistently pushed the boundaries of technological advancement and is committed to providing better experiences with cutting-edge technology by utilizing AI capabilities. Telkomsel believes that adopting technology, specifically through the utilization of Microsoft Azure AI, will open up collaborative opportunities that significantly impact the company's capabilities to address future business challenges and needs."

MeanWhile, sident Director Microsoft Indonesia, Dharma Simorangkir said, “The new era of AI empowers every person and every organization to create societal impacts and maximize economic growth more inclusively. For example, by accelerating the time to innovate, improving customers experience, and enhancing productivity. We are excited to expand our collaboration with Telkomsel, where we could unlock more AI opportunities for Indonesia.”

Through this collaboration, Telkomsel and Microsoft, for example, will introduce AI training programs for Telkomsel employees, which include training in AI for Sustainability and AI for Startups. These AI utilization training programs aim to provide a solid foundation for Telkomsel employees to understand and implement AI technology effectively, not only for business purposes but also to make a positive contribution to society and the environment.

Following that, Telkomsel is also planning to implement more Azure AI Services including Azure OpenAI Service across various Telkomsel customer and business platforms to deliver more innovative solutions and better personalization for customers. Generative AI opens various creative opportunities to produce new services that can significantly enhance the digital customer experience.

Furthermore, by implementing network transformation initiatives through AI utilization, Telkomsel will be able to detect and respond to network issues more quickly and efficiently. This will not only improve the quality of service provided to customers but also help Telkomsel remain a leader in the telecommunications industry, with a reliable and responsive network to meet evolving needs.

Previously, the collaboration between Telkomsel and Microsoft has yielded significant impact through the integration of Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service into Telkomsel's customer services. One tangible impact of this collaboration's results is the enhancement of customer service channels through Telkomsel's virtual assistant, Veronika. Veronika not only creates a positive impression on Telkomsel customers through natural and personalized responses but also assists customer care agents in allocating more of their time to customers requiring deeper and more complex assistance. With the integration of AI technology, Veronika can provide quicker and more accurate solutions, improving operational efficiency and overall customer satisfaction.

With the integration of Azure OpenAI Service that enables Veronika to provide quicker and more accurate solutions, Telkomsel has seen a leap in customer self-service interactions from 19 to 45 percent, driven by a 140 percent increase in average messages per user, particularly for digital lifestyle products. This enables customer care agents to spend more time with the customers who need them the most. (mas)