TAIGER has launched an AI-driven chatbot, ‘Ask Phoebe’, as part of a movement called #makehomesgreatagain to help people make better use of their time while at home with their families.

The chatbot offers social distancing-friendly activity ideas during the pandemic, whilst helping businesses market their services.

“One great thing about the chatbot we have built that allows people to identify activities suitable for them is that the bot actually identifies your life stage,” says Joshua Kwah, Global Head of Marketing at TAIGER, in an interview with CNA938.

Joshua adds that brands can tap on ‘Ask Phoebe’ as a platform to stay relevant yet purposeful.

Companies and agencies that are exploring ways to leverage this movement include IMDA, MullenLowe, Publicis Media, and Gush.

The IMDA, a statutory board of the Singapore government that manages the infocomm and media sectors, had previously rolled out its Stay Healthy, Go Digital movement, which consists of a repository of educational and entertainment choices to engage those staying at home.

To help spread their movement further, TAIGER has incorporated ideas from their repository into the chatbot, presenting the public with a multitude of ways to keep themselves occupied at home.

Howie Lau, the assistant chief executive of media and innovation at IMDA, commends the efforts of TAIGER’s #makehomesgreatagain initiative, which he says “complements national efforts to help Singaporeans live their life as normally as possible through digital technology.”

Chief executive of MullenLowe in Singapore, Paul Soon, agrees and makes a case on how the importance of chatbots were previously overlooked, but have now become more relevant than ever.

Ultimately, TAIGER hopes this pandemic will allow people to do things for the very first time through ‘Ask Phoebe’ or through following the examples by others who quote the hashtag, according to Joshua Kwah, the Global Head of Marketing at TAIGER.

“With being cooped up at home with work, kids, dependencies all closer than comfort and at a higher level of intensity, it’s easy to slip into mood swings or feelings of depression,” he says.

“It is an opportunity to build up your emotional bank – something that is often neglected in the fast pace of life but so essential to your wellbeing, inter-relationships as well as your productivity at work connecting with people.”