Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. simplify
    • ex. The teacher explained how to simplify the math problem. Now, I can solve it more easily.
  2. efficiency
    • ex. Tina organized her tasks to increase her efficiency and finish them faster.
  3. a chatbot
    • ex. The company’s website has a chatbot that can answer your questions about its products.
  4. an itinerary
    • ex. Before the trip, he created an itinerary to plan all the places that he would visit.
  5. leverage
    • ex. The company plans to leverage social media to reach more customers and promote its products.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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FlightHub, Canada’s popular online travel agency, has introduced a new AI-powered travel assistant named Mila. Mila was created to help simplify customers’ questions and improve service efficiency. Mila is not just a chatbot. She works like a real travel agent. She helps FlightHub customers book and cancel flights, as well as make itinerary changes in real time.

Most chatbots only send customers to FAQ pages or give general answers. However, Mila can speak different languages and provide help for different travel needs. If an issue is too difficult, Mila will make sure a human agent can help. Mila is developed by Momentum Solutions. A team of engineers, data scientists, and customer service experts worked together to build Mila.

The team made sure Mila could provide great service and keep customer information safe. FlightHub CEO Henri Chelhot said they created Mila to leverage artificial intelligence for better customer service. To make Mila unique and show that AI can be fun and friendly, FlightHub worked with S16 Gallery to create a physical version of Mila at their office.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.
Photo Credits: The Associated Press

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

AI Assistant

  • As a customer, how was your experience using AI assistants, such as robots and chatbots? Discuss.
  • In your country, how popular are AI assistants in service-related businesses like travel agencies, restaurants, etc. (ex. a lot of businesses use them)? Discuss.
  • Imagine that you have your own business. Would you use an AI assistant to help manage it? Why or why not? Discuss.

Travel Agency and Travel Service

  • Which do you prefer when making a travel itinerary, getting help from a travel agency or planning on your own? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, do you think AI assistants like Mila can make travel services more efficient? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Mila is FlightHub’s AI-powered travel assistant. How do you think the use of AI in customer service can affect travel businesses? Discuss.