Setting Expectations & Acknowledging Limitations

Application

Topic

Problem:

Users want to know what the AI being used in the application is actually capable of.

Example of setting user expectations on Ada by issuing a warning about the limitations of diagnostics in this health application — By clarifying the parameters of the outputs the AI application is providing, the system sets clear expectations for the users in the quality of the results.

Solution:

Before initiating a calculation or displaying results, the system tells the user what the AI can calculate, what the limits are in terms of accuracy in the output, which outputs are unlikely, and what is impossible to achieve that the user might otherwise want.

Discussion:

Trust is built on transparency, which necessarily includes communicating the limitations of the AI. Therefore this is partly about managing the user’s expectations throughout the process, but also about setting an appropriate tone of voice and brand position, one based on honesty and humility.