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Out-of-home chatbot ‘Bus Uncle’ dishes out timetable and science facts

Clear Channel Singapore, creative agency AKA Asia and the Singapore Science Festival (SSF) have rolled out an out-of-home chatbot that gives commuters a combination of bus timetable information and science-related facts.

The chatbot, Bus Uncle, is the brand ambassador of SSF, which runs until September 8 and is organised by government bodies The Science Centre Singapore and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research.

This year’s month-long festival focuses on artificial intelligence and its influence on everyday life.

Bus Uncle uses local colloquial language, with commuters able to interact with the digital screens to find out bus times, learn more about the festival or receive tips on the world of science.

“This campaign has broken the norms of a typical chatbot that is usually equipped with standard responses,” Clear Channel Singapore head of client partnerships and business development Amanda Woo said.

“SSF brought out the true essence of Singapore with Bus Uncle by localising it for our audience and by delivering contextually relevant content fit for the environment – that is commuters at our bus shelters.”

AKA Asia said it brought Bus Uncle “out of the screen and into real life”.

“It is not only an honour but a step towards breaking the barriers between online and offline through a creative execution,” co-founder  Kate O’Shea said.

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