Fredericton — Tourism New Brunswick has a new addition to their team. Jacques is an AI chat bot, meant to help curious travellers plan a trip to NB.
Just weeks into the job, Jacques is already expanding what exactly qualifies as a tourism site.
Some of his more unorthodox recommendations include “the King’s Place Mall in Fredericton anytime after midnight” and “that field you drive past on the way to Saint Andrews…you know the one.”
Jacques is also fast to advise travellers on what spots to avoid. He called mainstays like the Magnetic Hill in Moncton and the Reversing Falls in Saint John, “Overrated and frankly made up.”
Some feedback has been mixed.
“Jacques took my job,” says Frank McPhee, a former employee of Tourism NB. “This was my retirement gig. I used to have long chats on the phone with travellers from all over looking to explore our noble province.”
McPhee, who has lived in Fredericton for over 50 years, took great pride in giving personalized advice to callers based on their preferences.
“I no longer have that joy,” says McPhee, who has since gone on EI.
The Government of New Brunswick says that a big pro of the AI chatbot is that it will cut down on costs for the province. The Tourism minister says the U.S.-made chatbot costs $28,000 annually — a huge improvement from the $30,000 a year they used to pay McPhee.
“It’s good to see our tax dollars going to the right people.”
Jacques’ American developers say that it is totally normal for the chatbot to have a few kinks to work out in these early stages of use.
When asked what to do on Grand Manan, Jacques said, “Wait, that’s in New Brunswick?” and when asked what the most beautiful site in the province was Jacques quipped, “The bathroom of any Irving gas station after a fresh clean.”
The developers and the government stand firm that the chatbot is not meant to be a replacement for good old-fashioned human interaction.
“Oh, there are growing pains for sure,” says Marie Lepage, a current employee at Tourism NB.
Lepage is the one responsible for dealing with all the upset callers whom Jacques wrongly advises.
She detailed a call she took yesterday from some angry Vermonters who Jacques told February was the perfect time to visit the Hopewell Rocks. After a 10-hour drive the tourists found the park closed for the season.
“They normally save the yelling for when they know they have a human on the other end,” said Lepage.
While Jacques is fluent in English, he is still working on his French. He has been coded to reflect the authentic experience of speaking to a graduate of a French Immersion high school who hasn’t spoken the language in five years.
When asked where to find the best seafood in New Brunswick, Jacques said this.
“Honestly, just go to PEI.”