CEO Monthly Issue 12 2018

CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 12 2018 17 , Small businesses nowhave a powerful, new intuitive tool at their fingertips to help drive success - and the bottom line. Aider releases AI powered digital assistant for small businesses Aider, an artificial intelligence (AI) powered digital business assistant created specifically for small businesses, has been in beta phase in Australasia for several months. Brendan Roberts, Aider’s co-founder, says the app is now ready for the Australasian markets. “We believe that AI is in the process of changing how the world of commerce operates and we want to make this technology readily available to small businesses,” Roberts says. Making AI simple and easy to understand was critical in creating the app. Intuitive user interfaces and ready-made guides and questions ensures that Aider, is simple to use but also saves time, offers real-time insights and performs tasks for the business owners. Utilising conversational platform and natural language processing, a user can simply ask Aider about sales, bills, inventory, or practically anything that makes running a business easier. With its expanding ecosystem of diverse business app partners, conveniently accessed from one place, Aider uses business relevant data to immediately deliver info that is as broad, or as specific, as the user wants. “Aider is unique in the way it brings all the essential information together in an easily understood format, all beginning with a simple conversation,” says Pete Weaver, Aider’s co- founder. “Traditionally, AI has been inaccessible except to large businesses. Aider changes that - in turn giving small businesses an edge to be even more successful, however they define that.” Founded in Auckland, New Zealand, Aider has customers in Australasia, with plans to expand to new countries in 2019. At launch, Aider is currently working with cafes, restaurants, hospitality and retail businesses. As Aider grows, it will expand to other verticals as well as international markets.