In March, Harry & David – a premium gifting service owned by 1-800-FLOWERS.COM – unveiled a chatbot that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure clients find just the right chocolates, wines, and baked goods.
This digitally-driven "gift concierge" mimics human interactions in helping customers pick and purchase the perfect present, and goes by the name "GWYN" – short for "Gifts When You Need". Powered by Watson, IBM's cognitive-computing platform, the Harry & David offering effectively blends artificial intelligence with natural language processing to help make consumer experiences intuitive, smooth, and enjoyable.
It also marks a meaningful step forward...