Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already a key player in back-office operations across professional industries and everyday life through AI-enabled devices. Whether it’s answering customer queries through chats or managing automated phone calls, AI-driven solutions are everywhere. Now, AI is being used to simulate angry customers—training customer service executives to stay calm while handling abusive or irate callers.

Scientists have created a foul-mouthed robot to help train customer service staff to deal with difficult conversations, according to the Daily Star. This unique AI-driven tool can get angry, yell, and even hurl swear words to prepare workers for real-life situations involving irritated customers. Developed by US-based companies Furhat Robotics and audEERING, the AI machine is described as a "social robot."

What sets this robot apart is the ability to identify vocal expressions and respond appropriately. It can sense human moods such as frustration, sarcasm, or anger and act in a very lifelike manner.

Louis Simeonidis, business development manager at Furhat Robotics said that this robot is designed in such a way that “If we’ve done our job right, you should be able to walk up and engage with the robot just like your friend. You should be able to communicate and express it the same way you would with other people. And it should be able to communicate back to you the way other people would communicate.”

“We can understand sarcasm and irony, and we can understand that you’re actually maybe not in the best mood, and the way you say things matters here.” Florian Eyben, founder of audEERING, said on his views regarding this technology.

The robot's capabilities were demonstrated at the Voice & AI Conference in Washington, DC. A technology expert who tested the bot had to "calm it down" after the robot simulated an angry, difficult conversation.

Why train with an angry AI?

Handling frustrated customers is one of the toughest parts of customer service. This new AI-powered tool offers a controlled environment for training executives to remain patient, composed, and professional, no matter how intense the situation becomes. The "angry robot" simulates real-world scenarios to help workers prepare for what they might face on the job, boosting their confidence and improving customer service overall.