Telefónica has announced the launch of Aura, an artificial intelligence-powered digital assistant that will transform the way customers interact with Telefónica and manage their digital life with the company. They will be able to use a first release of Aura in Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. Aura will be delivered to customer devices via a mobile application, but also via other third-party channels including Facebook, Google and Microsoft.
Speaking at the launch, the Chairman of the company, José María Álvarez-Pallete highlighted Aura’s potential for its customers. “A year ago we said we wanted artificial intelligence to be the basis of our clients’ relationship with us and we are delivering on our promise. Digitalisation is the core of our business and thanks to the deep internal transformation that we have undergone in the last 8 years we have become a company of smart platforms.”
Aura arrives in the UK (O2 Ask) and Spain (Movistar+ Habla) through Telefónica’s own applications with different use cases. In some cases, customers will be able to talk to the network in real time through multiple channels and ask about their bill, the services contracted, data usage and other content. We want to make the complex simple for our customers.
“Chema Alonso, Chief Data Officer, added “Aura is more than a digital assistant and this launch is just the beginning. Aura will grow day-by-day with new capabilities and will transform the way we interact with our customers.”
Since 2012, Telefónica has invested approximately 56 billion Euros in the deployment of state-of-the-art infrastructure, the integration of all its IT systems and the development of new digital products and services. These platforms are building blocks that enabled Telefónica to develop a fourth platform where the data is securely stored and infused with artificial intelligence that will make the company more efficient and offer new services. This platform enables Aura to transform the way Telefonica will talk to its customers.
Aura aspires to be where Telefónica customers want to be and so will be available in other channels. In this first stage it will be integrated with Facebook Messenger in Germany. Telefónica customers in Germany can include Aura among their contacts and interact with it through the chat as they like.
In the coming months, Aura will be integrated with the Google Assistant and by 2019, it will also work with Microsoft Cortana.
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