"When logged-in users on Yelp's iOS and Android apps visit particular business pages, they can now ask specific questions ranging from where to park to whether a restaurant offers vegan options. The answers are generated based on facts from reviews posted on Yelp, information provided to the platform by businesses, and businesses' own websites, with relevant sections and even photos from Yelp reviews highlighted in the AI response."
"The expansion of the Yelp Assistant, which launched last year with a focus on helping consumers find services from home repair to haircuts, comes as other tech companies from longtime rival Google to startups like Perplexity promote AI options for finding and booking tables at local restaurants, which has long been a key part of Yelp's mission. But Yelp cofounder and CEO Jeremy Stoppelman says the company's wealth of business data, long trusted by consumers and partner services like Apple Maps, enables it to deliver reliable answers in an age of hallucinating AI."
""This isn't an AI that's hallucinating," says Kuduvalli Ramesh. "This is an AI that is providing me answers, evidence first.""
Yelp deployed an AI-powered Assistant on its iOS and Android apps that answers user questions on specific business pages. Logged-in users can ask about parking, vegan options, dog-friendly seating, and best times to avoid long waits. Responses draw on Yelp reviews, business-provided information, and business websites, with highlighted review excerpts and photos. The Assistant offers suggested follow-up questions and a new Popular Offerings feature highlights frequently mentioned goods and services with photos. Yelp positions the tool as evidence-first to reduce hallucinations, leveraging its extensive business data and partnerships.
Read at Fast Company
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