BEN [NASDAQ:BNAI]
BNAI]

Generative AI (Gen AI) plug-and-play platforms are reshaping how work gets done, becoming essential tools across a range of industries. While their versatility and efficiency open up new ways to engage customers, there’s a crucial caveat.

Many companies merely layer a basic front-end interface over existing Large Language Models (LLM) such as ChatGPT, without developing or controlling the underlying technology, leaving them reliant on third-party capabilities and limitations. Others repurpose traditional Machine Learning (ML), AI or analytics tools with limited Gen AI features that are not specific to the application at hand. Both approaches stifle innovation and fail to deliver on Gen AI's full potential.

BEN [NASDAQ:BNAI], a Gen AI platform provider, offers AI Assistants that delivers businesses the full value of Gen AI without the usual complications. Its self-sufficient platform features an intuitive user experience, powerful data management capabilities, robust security, and a strong backend, all engineered to optimize Gen AI's capabilities. This comprehensive, end-to-end solution allows organizations to provide end-users with a human-like interface that is both safe and scalable.

Clients who rely on these intelligent assistants can meet consumers on their preferred medium, whether it’s a phone, desktop browser, or even a life-size kiosk. Companies can deploy them in various environments such as Public Cloud, Private Cloud, and even On-Prem which may provide control of data for certain applications.

“From the engagement perspective, these AI assistants inform, educate, and also complete tasks for users—all without giving room for AI hallucinations,” says Rick Howard, chief information and data officer of BEN.

Intelligent Assistant Making Real-World Waves, Not Just Ripples

BEN’s AI assistants are a boon for industries like healthcare, automotive, and consumer goods, where labor shortages lead to costly operational inefficiencies that directly impact consumer and patient engagement. Each AI assistant is purpose-built to fit specific use cases and is capable of engaging the user to handle repetitive and time-consuming tasks, such as data entry, appointment scheduling, and inventory management, as well as more complex, and high-value activities as desired. The AI assistants complement hard-to-find skillsets, allowing BEN’s customers to better support consumers, patients, and members.

Scaling up or down is effortless with BEN’s AI, enabling companies to reap the benefits of increased efficiency, flexibility, and consistent performance, effectively offsetting the problems imposed by skilled labor shortages in essential industries like healthcare.

BEN’s excellence was recently demonstrated in a case study focused on improving drug adherence. The company’s AI assistants make it easier for patients to ask questions about new drugs they are prescribed instead of waiting on the pharmacist or calling a nurse line. For instance, if a patient is prescribed a new type 2 diabetes drug, they can use this technology to get detailed answers about the drug and how it affects their condition.

This information is accurate and reliable since it is based on sources like the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ product data, American Diabetes Association and the FDA, avoiding misinformation from the internet.

BEN’s assistants, however, do not diagnose conditions. For diagnostic questions, they direct patients to their doctor. Moreover, if a patient wants to schedule an appointment, the technology can access the clinic's system to find and book an available time slot with the desired doctor. This is just one example of BEN’s AI assistant in action.

The BEN Twist

One might argue that it’s no different from other Gen AI platforms. What makes BEN stand out is its approach.

“We’re using Gen AI to create a fully capable engagement model that is developed end-to-end. It’s not just about the frontend UX, but also the middle-layer processing and backend core technology,” says Paul Chang, CEO of BEN. “The goal is to ensure that our AI assistants’ responses are accurate, industry-appropriate, and free of misinformation. This approach keeps our technology current and secure, meeting the needs of consumers, patients, and members.”

BEN has developed all the necessary capabilities in-house and holds several patents directly related to its technology. These efforts ensure that clients can use these assistants as a turnkey solution, free of any clunky or limited functionalities. Businesses, after all, need integrated applications to manage operations, and generic LLMs like ChatGPT often come with standalone capabilities that rarely meet this requirement.

Here, BEN’s middleware works its magic, offering an excellent alternative to disjointed systems. Its user experience layer does most of the heavy lifting and can integrate with existing business systems, enabling tasks such as scheduling appointments based on user commands.

The goal is to ensure that our AI assistants’ responses are accurate, industry-appropriate, and free of misinformation. This approach keeps our technology current and secure, meeting the needs of consumers, patients and members

On the backend, BEN uses its own large language model (LLM), which, although small in size, is custom-trained and fine-tuned to suit specific needs. BEN's LLM, operates with just seven billion parameters, a fraction of GPT-4's 1.8 trillion parameters. Despite its smaller size, it achieves performance similar to—or better than—GPT-4 and provides accurate, appropriate answers from validated data sources rather than generating responses from the open internet.

“We achieve this by developing a personalized LLM backend that integrates seamlessly with our retrieval-augmented generation of knowledge system, populated exclusively with data approved by clients,” says Howard.

This strategy controls the dialogue, keeping the information and responses free of hallucinations and industry-inappropriate content, rather than generating a probabilistic responses from the open internet. BEN’s LLM may be smaller, but it operates with impressive accuracy and precision.

Using a smaller LLM offers several advantages, such as faster processing, greater cost-effectiveness, higher concurrency—allowing many simultaneous sessions—and the ability to utilize CPU power instead of the more expensive and difficult to procure GPU power required by larger LLMs.

BEN’s Strategic Pursuit of Unrivaled AI Security

BEN has set the bar high for feature-rich AI assistants, as well as data security and privacy. The company has completed the HIPAA audit process, achieving clearance in April. However, BEN did not stop there; it also pursued and successfully obtained SOC 2 Type 1 compliance, demonstrating its commitment to security with the corresponding compliance notification. BEN’s dedication to security goes beyond these achievements. The company plans to pursue SOC 2 Type 2 compliance and is exploring additional security certifications to further reassure clients of its commitment to data security and integrity.

For instance, BEN is considering the ISO 42001 audit, which is specific to AI, and plans to examine ISO 27001 and ISO 27701 standards in the future. In addition to these audits, BEN operates a Security Operations Center (SOC) as a service. This SOC continuously monitors the network for potential intrusions, logs all network activity, and detects anomalous behaviors to intercept and address potential issues before they escalate. BEN employs a multi-layered approach to security, with ongoing efforts to complete or work towards additional certifications to enhance its security measures.

From the engagement perspective, these AI assistants inform, educate and also complete the tasks for users— all without giving elbow room for AI hallucinations

The combination of a feature-rich platform, coupled with superior security features, ensures that its AI Assistants are helpful, creative, clever, and friendly. At the same time, clients have full control of their user engagement.

Commitment to Client Excellence

BEN provides comprehensive, personalized support in the digital realm and extends the same in the physical world. The company works closely with clients during the implementation of its digital assistants and offers a range of customization options for the technology. This includes data integration and fine-tuning of their models. Customers can manage and influence how the dialogue manager responds. For example, if the application is for consumers, the system can use simple, everyday language. For professional settings, it can use technical or medical terms appropriate for that audience.

BEN also provides extensive customization for the avatar's appearance, voice, tone, and other characteristics. Most of these customizations are configurable, allowing customers to tailor the avatar’s look and feel—such as hairstyle and skin tone—to fit their brand and make it unique compared to other assistants. With BEN, clients can level up their engagement goals quickly, safely, and cost-effectively with deployments measured in days and weeks vs. months.

The future of safe, intelligent assistants is here, and BEN is leading the charge to transform how businesses connect, engage, and thrive in an ever-evolving digital landscape. Through an innovative approach and deep commitment to customization, the company is enabling organizations of all sizes to build stronger, more personalized relationships with their customers, setting new standards for what’s possible in digital engagement. It’s apt to say businesses partnering with BEN will remain agile, adaptable, and poised for long-term success, making it the go-to partner for navigating the digital engagement frontier.