Harnessing AI for enhanced customer experience and software engineering 

Google Cloud Next 2025 is coming. Last year’s conference showcased the possibilities around the convergence of innovation, customer experience, and artificial intelligence (AI).

Dave Chapman and Rob Kernahan, our Cloud Realities podcast hosts, welcomed Kevin Shatzkamer, Former Managing Director of Conversational AI at Google Cloud, and Miku Jha, Director of Gen AI Partner Engineering at Google Cloud to discuss how AI is impacting all industries and driving advancements in customer experience and software engineering. 

Transforming customer experience with conversational AI 

Kevin shared his thoughts on the rapid advancements in conversational AI and how it is impacting customer service. The focus has shifted from theoretical possibilities to real-world implementations that deliver measurable value. The accessibility of generative AI has made it a board-level conversation, with companies eager to develop a minimal viable product (MVP) to explore how AI can enhance customer interactions. 

One of the most intriguing observations Kevin shared was the humanization of AI interactions. Users are beginning to say “please” and “thank you” to virtual agents, indicating a significant shift in how people perceive and engage with AI. This evolution is crucial for improving customer satisfaction and driving the adoption of AI-powered solutions. 

Enhancing software engineering with AI 

Miku discussed the transformative potential of AI in software engineering. She highlighted that AI’s role extends beyond code completion and generation to include debugging, instrumentation, and securing APIs. The integration of tools like Pro 1.5 with Gemini Code Assist allows developers to upload entire code repositories and debug complex issues in a fraction of the time. Reducing these kinds of manual tasks significantly enhances developer productivity and code quality. 

Miku also emphasized the importance of multimodality in AI, which allows for the integration of text, video, audio, and other inputs to create a more comprehensive and human-like understanding of data. This capability is expected to drive the development of powerful enterprise applications and solutions, transforming how businesses operate and interact with AI technology. 

Practical applications and future gazing 

Google Cloud Next 2024 highlighted several practical applications of AI that are already delivering significant benefits. For instance, AI-powered customer support solutions are providing operational efficiencies. Developer productivity tools are enabling faster iteration and higher code quality, while multimodal AI is creating new possibilities for enterprise applications. 

Looking ahead, the potential for AI to revolutionize both customer experience and software engineering is immense. As businesses continue to explore and implement AI solutions, we can expect to see even more innovative applications and measureable results. 

Road to Google Cloud Next 2025 

Google Cloud Next 2024 underscored the transformative potential of AI in both customer experience and software engineering. As businesses continue to navigate the complexities of AI adoption, the integration of conversational AI and multimodal capabilities offers a path to meet the challenges and unlock new opportunities for growth and efficiency. The future will have AI seamlessly integrated into every aspect of a business so AI advancements will continue to be the key. It will be interesting to see how the needle has moved one year later. 

The themes of innovation, customer experience, and AI will continue to be hot topics. Capgemini’s Cloud Realities podcast will be broadcasting again from Google Cloud Next with a list of exciting guests every day. Attendees can also check out exclusive client sessions and interactive demos exploring exactly how we are embracing customer experience, software engineering and AI meet across all industries, on Google Cloud. 

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