What is an AI chatbot?

An AI chatbot is a computer program that simulates human communication. Chatbots are frequently used in a wide variety of online situations, from customer service to sales. One of the best-known examples of Conversational AI delivered through chatbots includes eCommerce sites where bots allow customers to ask questions about a particular product and receive an instant response. As the technology underpinning AI chatbots has advanced, they have evolved from rudimentary tools to ones that can engage with consumers on a level that feels quite human and personal.

Do all chatbots use AI? 

Not all chatbots utilise AI. Some are rules-based, delivering tightly structured dialog based on user input. They are only able to recognise questions and comments when they match the keywords selected by the chatbot’s programmer. An artificial intelligence bot, on the other hand, employs machine learning and natural language processing to respond to human input even when it deviates from a pre-programmed script. 

What are the benefits of an AI chatbot? 

When compared to a rules-based chatbot, an AI chatbot comes with several additional benefits. These include:   

• Availability - By employing an AI bot in place of a human agent, it becomes much easier for businesses to provide 24/7 availability. Whenever a consumer has an inquiry, an AI chatbot is ready to give an instant response. Based on integrated systems and databases, it can actually help the customer. A scripted chatbot can only follow the script. 
• Adaptable - Whether it’s for customer service or HR support, lead generation, or sales assistance, AI chatbots have a variety of uses. The bot can adapt to the needs of the customer. 
• Affordability - One of the main drivers behind the use of AI chatbots is their affordability. The total cost of ownership is low compared with employing additional human members of staff.  
• Customer experience - By collecting a wealth of additional data, AI chatbots can greatly improve the customer experience. By fostering more interactions, they can streamline the customer journey, deliver real-time personalisation, and enable companies to collect actionable data that can be used to improve products and services. With a well set up, advanced AI-powered bot, a customer can fulfil their entire customer journey within conversations.  

How to build an AI chatbot 

While talk of machine learning and artificial intelligence may make the idea of building your own Conversational AI chatbot sound daunting, help is available. Start by thinking carefully about what you want to achieve with your chatbot, come up with a clearly defined strategy, and then start fuelling your chatbot with the data it needs.  

Although it may sound challenging at first, creating a chatbot is surprisingly straightforward. Here’s why:   

• Code-free - Many chatbot creation services offer low- or no-code options so individuals with no coding experience can create their own chatbot.  
• Easy to integrate - Chatbots can be integrated into a variety of customer communication channels, including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Viber, Telegram, SMS, Google RCS, and Web Chat apps. 
• Test and tweak - Once you’ve built your chatbot, you can test it on a local server with friends and colleagues to identify any potential issues. These can then be resolved before a broader rollout. Data will help you improve continuously.   

Whether you’d prefer a scripted chatbot or a more conversational AI chatbot, you can build it with the software offered by CM.com. Our team is available to provide the support you need to future-proof your customer engagements.