eGain Corp (NASDAQ: EGAN) announced the launch of AI Agent IVA, an intelligent virtual agent designed to handle customer inquiries through natural conversation rather than traditional menu-based systems.

The virtual agent connects to eGain's AI Knowledge Hub to access a governed enterprise knowledge base, providing responses without requiring customers to navigate phone trees or wait on hold. The system aims to reduce service costs while improving resolution times and customer satisfaction.

According to research from CX Dive cited in the announcement, nearly three in five customers have experienced frustration with phone systems requiring multiple prompts, while more than half report difficulty reaching live agents through automated systems.

"The quality of a customer response depends entirely on the quality of the knowledge behind it," said Ashu Roy, CEO of eGain. "AI Agent IVA is built on eGain's governed knowledge base, where every article is structured, maintained, and AI-ready."

The system features speech-to-text and text-to-speech capabilities for voice interactions and can transfer customers to human agents when needed. AI Agent IVA integrates with existing CRM and contact center systems without requiring infrastructure changes.

The virtual agent operates continuously across time zones to provide 24/7 service coverage. eGain's knowledge base maintains articles through a structured lifecycle process to ensure accuracy and compliance for AI responses.

eGain provides AI-powered knowledge management and customer experience automation solutions to Global 2000 companies. The company has operated in the knowledge management sector for over 25 years, according to the press release.