A growing use of artificial intelligence to alter the accents of call centre workers in real time is raising concerns among union leaders and academics, who warn the technology could mislead customers and affect Canadian jobs.
The issue is drawing scrutiny in Canada after labour representatives said at least one major domestic telecommunications company may be using the technology with offshore agents.
“We’re aware of at least one of the three big telco (companies using it to mask) the accents of offshore agents, altering how customers perceive who they’re talking to,” said Roch LeBlanc, telecommunications director for Unifor, in remarks to a parliamentary committee on April 30.
The “big three” are Rogers, Telus and Bell.
AI tools demonstrated online show how a speaker’s accent can be modified instantly, making English-as-a-second-language (ESL) speakers sound more like anglophones.
The Philippines and India are major global hubs for call centres serving North American companies, which are increasingly outsourcing such customer service operations to reduce costs.
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A growing number of firms are turning to AI to make workers’ speech easier for customers to understand.
The Canadian Telecommunications Workers Alliance is flagging the practice at the federal level.
Renee Sieber, an associate professor at McGill University, said the technology may appear harmless but could have broader consequences.
“Here’s an application that a company may say is benign, but actually could be stealing Canadian jobs,” she said.
“It’s a kind of deception.”
Two major telecom companies, Rogers Communications and Bell Canada, both denied using AI in this way when asked by Global News. As of publishing, Telus had not responded to the same query.
The practice, however, appears to be expanding globally.
Teleperformance SE, the world’s largest call centre operator, is reportedly rolling out AI technology to “soften” the accents of Indian workers.
Supporters of the technology say the tools can improve communication.
“It is very hard sometimes when you’re on the line with someone and you can’t understand them and you want something done,” said Maura Grossman, a research professor at the University of Waterloo.
But critics argue the technology could increase outsourcing and reduce acceptance of different accents.
“You have to ask yourself, would (we) be doing this if it was (for an accent from) Australia or the U.K.?” Grossman questioned.
“Because if the answer is no, then that sounds rather discriminatory.”
The federal government has yet to release its long-awaited national AI strategy, but has said it will address issues of transparency.
It remains unclear whether that would include requiring companies to disclose whether a voice has been altered or generated by AI.
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