Dr. Dimitris Alexandrou, Co-Founder of Ubitech, the company developing tools to facilitate the lives of Greek citizens, with its recent new digital assistant service, mAigov, speaks to grtraveller about the design of such applications and how new technologies and artificial intelligence can impact our lives.
How do you believe new technologies and artificial intelligence can improve citizens’ lives?
New technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to significantly improve citizens’ lives in a country through various means, as they have the power to positively influence several aspects of their daily lives.
AI can improve the quality of healthcare through diagnostic support and personalized therapy, reducing costs and improving access to health for all. Technological platforms and AI applications can provide personalized learning based on the needs and pace of each student, improving the educational experience and efficiency. AI can help predict and manage natural disasters, monitor pollution, and improve natural resource management, contributing to environmental protection and sustainable development. Automation and AI can increase productivity, create new job opportunities in technology sectors, and improve efficiency in various industries. AI systems can improve citizens’ safety through more effective surveillance and response to emergencies, as well as promote social cohesion through platforms that enhance communication and access to social services. Digitization and AI can make government services more efficient, transparent, and accessible to citizens, improving democratic participation and trust in public authorities.
“In the coming years we will
new ones are created
specialisations concerning the
activities around the
Artificial Intelligence “
What are the main factors you consider when designing a service like mAigov?
Designing a service like mAigov that targets all Greek citizens, the factors influencing the architecture and technological choices are diverse. Indicatively, we can mention some, such as the management of the Greek language, service scalability, knowledge management capability, and scalability and interoperability. Managing the Greek language was one of the most significant challenges. The Greek language is one of the most difficult globally. This led to a series of choices regarding the real-time data processing of mAigov to provide citizens with the most accurate answers in natural language from the chatbot. Another significant challenge we had to face was the load that the chatbot would receive from an entire country. Both the infrastructure and the software had to be able to handle the demand for responses. Our choices were vindicated, and currently, mAigov has been operating continuously for 3 months without any problems. A solution like mAigov must be distinguished by the speed of updating and the information provided to the citizen in an environment that changes daily. Therefore, it was necessary to update mAigov regarding the content in which it is called to seek information. In this context, the necessary infrastructure was implemented so that the digital assistant is informed about the new services entering gov.gr as well as the services being abolished. Scalability and interoperability are essential requirements of a solution like mAigov. We are already moving towards mAigov 2.0 with the ability to issue certificates from the chatbot on our behalf. A necessary component of such a solution is interoperability with third-party systems to enable the issuance and delivery of certificates to the citizen’s inbox on the gov.gr app.
In what ways has technological advancement, especially in the field of artificial intelligence, affected travel experiences and service offerings?
The rapid advancement of AI in the tourism sector can offer new possibilities and create avenues for further innovation, transforming travel experiences into something more personal and enjoyable. The development of AI has brought significant changes to the travel and hospitality sector, improving the overall experience and service offerings in multiple ways, such as personalized travel experiences through the analysis of large volumes of data to create personalized recommendations. Travel platforms can use AI algorithms to suggest hotels, flights, experiences, and restaurants that match the preferences and search history of the end-user. Automated customer service, as virtual assistants provide 24/7 traveler assistance, answering questions, making reservations, and offering real-time assistance. Automated control and management, through AI systems that can help automate processes such as hotel check-ins/outs, airport security checks, optimizing the traveler’s experience. Sentiment analysis and reviews, as AI algorithms can analyze traveler reviews and comments, providing valuable data to tourism businesses about customer satisfaction and areas for improvement.
What are your estimates for the advancement of artificial intelligence in the coming years and how is your company preparing to address these changes?
The evolution of technology is rapid worldwide. Conditions are changing around us daily. Developments are even faster in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), as it seems to represent the next technological milestone for humanity after the emergence of the Internet. AI has now become part of our daily lives. The tools provided to developers are robust and have great power in producing reliable solutions. The field of computer science is experiencing a renaissance. It is certain that in the coming years, new specialties will emerge concerning activities related to AI. UBITECH actively participates in these developments. Through mAigov, it plays a central role in the field of AI, both at the national level and on a European scale, as its expertise has attracted the interest of several countries wishing to embark on the journey into the era of AI.
