In 2020, the bot market was valued at $17.1 billion, with projections to reach $102.2 billion by 2026, according to data from Mordor Intelligence.

In Brazil, there are about 17,000 bots, handling a monthly traffic of 800 million messages, according to the Brazilian Bot Ecosystem Map.

Studies suggest that 50% of the workforce will be replaced by 2050, and companies will reduce approximately $8 billion in annual costs by 2022.

This rapid growth is a divisive topic. Some believe that service bots are here to replace humans, thus taking their jobs, as seen in the case of call centers.

Others, more optimistic or perhaps better prepared for change, argue that service bots require skilled professionals to function effectively.

The truth is that bots are indeed replacing many roles, but at the same time, conversational bots have created new professions.

In another article on Sovran’s Blog, we discussed how bots cannot learn by themselves and that there is always a team working behind the scenes.

 

Bots (still) depend on humans

 

Behind every bot, there is a team managing user interactions, data, and the entire conversational flow.

The message we receive from a bot undergoes a process of construction and evolution, where every word is carefully chosen, from the creation of the knowledge base to defining its vocabulary, tone of voice, and more.

This meticulous analysis is typically (and should be) carried out by a multidisciplinary team comprising professionals from various business areas: management, administration, sales, legal, marketing, and others.

This is because bot developers and programmers excel at the technical aspects but generally lack comprehensive knowledge about all the business and customer service-related subjects.

Thus, a single phrase or response might go through analysis and approval by several professionals from different departments before being implemented into the bot.

 

Professions related to bots

Here are the main professions behind bots!

 

Developers and programmers

DevOps developers handle the architecture, development model, operation, and maintenance of the bot. Software engineers focus on writing the bot’s programming code and creating connectors to integrate the bot with the contracting companies’ legacy systems.

 

Data scientists

These professionals determine research lines to maximize the value of data generated by bots during their interactions with users, playing a crucial role in directing the bot’s services effectively.

 

Knowledge curators

Knowledge curators are responsible for creating, updating, and validating all content for the bots’ conversations, including questions and answers.

 

Bot trainers

Bot trainers, or bot teachers, build associations between word sequences and likely intentions to enable the bot to solve users’ real problems without human intervention.

 

Bot writers

Usually journalists or linguists, bot writers are responsible for crafting the text messages sent to users, ensuring they are clear and well-received by customers or consumers.

 

Computational linguists

Computational linguists develop systems capable of reproducing and recognizing information conveyed in natural language, or human language, using logical-formal modeling.

 

Artificial Intelligence specialists

These professionals are typically developers and programmers with expertise in programming and applying machine learning algorithms, working closely with data scientists.

 

Customer Experience (UX) specialists

With strong ties to the technical team, UX (User Experience) specialists are highly business- and customer-focused, understanding the entire customer journey and the company’s product or service better than anyone.

 

User Interface Specialists (UI/VUI)

Experts in user navigation, UI/VUI Designers focus on the service channels (e.g., phone, web, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram) where bots will be deployed.

 

Test analysts

A bot cannot be launched without approval from test analysts or the testing team. These professionals are responsible for quality control, identifying potential issues and collaborating with developers and programmers to find the best solutions.

 

Continuous Improvement Analysts

When a bot fails to respond to a user, it should transfer the interaction to a human agent. Continuous improvement analysts investigate the causes of such failures, proposing solutions to prevent them from recurring in future interactions.

 

That’s it! As you’ve seen throughout this article, bots rely on a large team for their design, deployment, and maintenance.

This article highlights some future professions that are already common and will continue to grow in demand within companies.

We hope you enjoyed it. See you next time!

Read also: Can bots learn on their own, or is that just a myth?