“Open the pod bay door’s Hal!”
Hal, the computer and always calm voice depicted with a glowing red ‘eye’ in the cult classic movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, was a name devised by the author of the book, Arthur C. Clarke with the movie’s director Stanley Kubrick however they claim it stood for “Heuristically Programmed Algorithmic Computer” however it’s claimed in folk lore that it was actually the letters IBM – but one letter adjacent. At the time of the movie (1968), IBM dominated the industry with massive mainframe computers, and its influence on technology was unparalleled.
But was it a good Ai name?
What is the right way to go with ai based customer service voice calls?
Do you provide a normal human style name or a weird ai type name or avoid the subject with customers all together, only admitting to being ‘digital’ when directly asked during an ai call.
Which is best?
The best approach depends on your brand’s positioning and customer expectations.
Here are the three options and their potential impact:
1. Normal Human Name (e.g., “Sarah” or “James”)
Pros:
Feels familiar and builds trust.
Reduces resistance to AI interactions.
Customers may engage more naturally.
Cons:
Can backfire if the AI fails to sound convincingly human.
If discovered, customers may feel deceived.
2. AI-Type Name (e.g., “Nova” or “Echo”)
Pros:
Sets clear expectations without pretending to be human.
Can reinforce a futuristic, innovative brand.
Cons:
Some customers may hesitate to engage with an AI.
Can sound impersonal or robotic.
3. Avoid the Subject & Admit Only When Asked (Hybrid Approach)
Pros:
Keeps conversations focused on the customer, not the tech.
Avoids immediate bias against AI while still being transparent when necessary.
Allows AI to prove its value before the customer makes a judgment.
Cons:
If customers suspect deception, it could harm trust.
Some may feel misled if they later realize it, was AI.
What’s our recommendation?
Use a neutral, slightly tech-leaning name (e.g., “Ava” or “Kai”) and be transparent when asked.
Open with something like: “Hi, this is Ava, your digital assistant from [Company Name]. How can I help today?” This balances approachability with honesty while setting realistic expectations.
At Lloyds we’ve used “Bidsby”…Our experience is that it seems to be going ok…
As far as the far as the “2001: H A L” name source debate is concerned then I’m a believer of the IBM adjacent letters theory as the H A L letters just don’t align with “H euristically Programmed Al gorithmic Computer” imho!
