When '1% engagement just isn't enough', AI personalization activates buyers

There's a growing concern that the very technology that is better enabling scalable human connection might be making our interactions less human. Personalization algorithms can sometimes create experiences that feel mechanical rather than genuinely tailored to the people they serve. But one company is taking a different approach, leveraging AI in a way they believe fosters human connection by meeting the true needs of customers, simply based on who they are.

We spoke with Hao Sheng, Founder of Chatsimple, to learn more about the launch of their new product, Expertise AI, and how it could shape the future of websites.

Better than 1%: According to Sheng, current engagement models fall far short of AI's potential. "Typically, websites see around 1 to 2% of total traffic engage with a widget, and that's considered pretty good," Sheng explains. "However, when we think about the future, especially with AI, 1% engagement just isn't enough. If AI is tucked away and only 1% of people engage with it, that's not truly leveraging AI. That's not where the future is going."

Engagement is top of mind for Chatsimple as a leading AI agent for inbound sales and support serving over 25,000 companies. They help turn websites into pipeline generation machines with AI agents that proactively capture leads and help visitors find what they are looking for.

Reimagining Conversational UI: Sheng believes that current conversational UI represents a paradigm that no longer fits what users need from sites. "When we talk about conversational UI, we're essentially talking about an outdated way of interacting—just texting back and forth," he says. "So, the question is: what's the next step? How can we combine conversational interfaces with AI to create a more dynamic, modern user experience?"

This is where Expertise AI enters the picture. "We want to explore how AI can go beyond language-based user interfaces to something more interactive and intuitive. It's about making the user experience smarter and more seamless—something everyone can relate to, but also feels a bit more advanced than what's out there today."

Activating "sleeping" content: Beyond personalization, Expertise AI also aims to breathe new life into existing content that might otherwise go unnoticed. "Another area we're focused on is getting more value out of existing content—content that may be 'sleeping' on your website," Sheng explains. "For example, if someone reads a blog about the top search engines, our AI can recommend related features or case studies, creating an active engagement loop. The goal is to turn traffic that would normally just pass through into active users, getting them to sign up or take the next step in the journey."

The Google of websites: Sheng draws an interesting parallel between the current state of websites and the early days of search engines. "I often say that websites today are like Yahoo—a catalog of information. But that model is ripe for disruption, much like how Google revolutionized search with a more user-friendly interface," he explains. "So, the question is: how do we become the 'Google' of websites? The answer lies in AI's ability to reconstruct and generate content on-demand."

While Expertise AI is still in its early stages, Sheng and his team are committed to building out their vision. "What we're offering now is just the first v0 of Expertise AI, but as we continue to grow, we'll be refining the product and delivering a more polished experience to our customers."