What Is an Artificial Intelligence Chatbot?

An artificial intelligence chatbot is an emerging technology you can use to allow your computer or website to talk with users. This program uses natural language processing (NLP), a type of AI that allows machines to “think” and communicate like a human, enabling it to interpret a user’s question and develop an appropriate automated response. Software developers train artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots by implementing pattern recognition and program incentives to determine if they can reliably perform. Discover the world of AI chatbots and expand your understanding of their potential benefits and disadvantages. 

Types of artificial intelligence chatbots 

The three main types of AI chatbots are conversational AI chatbots, AI-generated voice chatbots, and generative AI chatbots. Learn more about these different types of chatbots, reviewing real-world examples to better understand their potential uses. 

Conversational AI chatbots, such as ChatGPT, are arguably the most popular AI chatbots. These chatbots can recall conversations with users and add this information to their answers. Combining chatbots with robotic process automation (RPA) enables them to integrate with other systems, allowing them to pull information before using this information to create seamless responses. For example, if you consistently order the same meal, a chatbot will save that information and use it when you make future orders, making the ordering process faster and easier. 

AI-generated voice chatbots are conversation tools that allow users to interact with chatbots by speaking to them. They develop automated responses using text-to-speech and speech-to-text technology. Siri and Alexa are two of the most widely used voice chatbots. You can ask Alexa to turn off the lights in your house at a certain time, play music by giving it a song request, or use Siri to send a text or respond to a message by speaking to it.

Generative AI chatbots offer more advanced responses and content by adapting to how the user speaks. This capability allows generative AI chatbots to provide empathetic responses. Generative AI differs from conversational AI due to its ability to generate new content, including high-quality images, text, and sounds. It translates, predicts, or summarizes responses without human assistance. 

What are artificial intelligence chatbots used for? 

AI chatbots serve many areas, like medicine, marketing, and customer service. 

• Medical chatbots provide suggestions to health care providers for the causes of a patient’s symptoms. 

• Marketing chatbots simulate salespeople by conversing with users and remembering their interests. With this information, the AI chatbots can pinpoint specific products to market to each user. For example, if you tell a chatbot you enjoy chocolate, they will provide you with advertisements for different chocolates and provide information on chocolate shops near you.

• AI chatbots provide customer service by streamlining communication and directing users to available resources, such as frequently asked questions. AI-generated voice chatbots can provide 24/7 service for customer inquiries. 

Who uses artificial intelligence chatbots? 

AI chatbots are widely used worldwide by a variety of companies on their landing pages, including Amazon, Zillow, and Marriott International. 

• Amazon uses chatbots to answer customer inquiries, elevate business performance, and develop product recommendations.

• Zillow uses ChatGPT to help users discover new real estate listings, personalize their search criteria, and provide up-to-date information on property listings. 

• Marriott International uses chatbots for reservation bookings, login help, account activation, and general customer service. 

Advantages of artificial intelligence chatbots

AI chatbots offer many benefits, including helping to lower business costs and increase operational efficiency. Additionally, they can assist customers in real-time, which contributes to a better experience for those customers. 

• AI chatbots have the potential to reduce business costs by acting as customer service staff. Chatbots offer self-service options and direct users to resources, which saves the customers time and reduces staffing needs. 

• AI chatbots boost operational efficiency by cutting out the need to respond to repetitive customer inquiries, allowing workers to spend their time on more complex issues and tasks. 

• AI chatbots answer questions in real-time and are available 24 hours, seven days a week. Not only are AI chatbots available at all times, but they often respond in less time than it takes the average human.

Disadvantages of artificial intelligence chatbots 

While AI chatbots have various benefits, they are not without disadvantages. Some of the most discussed include security risks, spreading false information, and a lack of emotional intelligence. 

• AI chatbots implement security risks since they intake so much personal data. Hackers can compromise chatbot systems, increasing the possibility of data leakage. Scammers can also manipulate AI chatbots by altering their data to change an AI’s behavior. The scammer could get the chatbot to give up sensitive data, including credit card information, from users. 

• The threat of spreading false information is also prevalent with AI chatbots. Hackers can buy domains and poison the data within a chatbot. They alter the information AI chatbots provide, spreading inaccurate information to users. 

• Chatbots lack emotional intelligence, which makes their interactions with humans feel less personal. This is particularly concerning when using AI chatbots in areas like mental health. The chatbot’s lack of empathy could negatively impact treatment results, in turn potentially negatively affecting the patient’s mental health. 

How to get started with artificial intelligence chatbots 

AI chatbots have been readily available for over a decade. For instance, Amazon released the voice chatbot Alexa in 2014 alongside their first voice chatbot, the Amazon Echo. You can purchase an Alexa through Amazon and even connect Alexa smart devices to your lights, doors, and thermostats. You may use Alexa for personal needs: to secure doors via your connected smart locks, check your security cameras, or set the thermostat remotely. 

ChatGPT is one of the most widely used and reliable AI chatbots. It was developed by OpenAI, which was co-founded by a group of researchers and entrepreneurs, including Elon Musk and Sam Altman, in 2015. This chatbot is available to download for free via OpenAI with access to the standard setup. ChatGPT Plus provides expanded access and a higher level of productivity for 20 dollars per month. This chatbot can help you brainstorm ideas, provide edits, and explore new information. 

You can even create your own conversational chatbot for a personalized website and customize it to your specific needs. You can start by entering your website URL and train the chatbot by scanning the information within the site. The final step is to tune your chatbot by customizing a welcome message, choosing basic skills, and editing attributes. 

Learn more about artificial intelligence chatbot creation on Coursera

An AI chatbot can help businesses engage more with customers, even during off-hours, which can streamline operations and offer other benefits. Explore the world of artificial intelligence chatbots on Coursera. You can learn how to build AI chatbots with IBM’s Building AI-Powered Chatbots Without Programming, discover more about the complexities of generative AI chatbots with DeepLearning.AI’s Generative AI for Everyone, or elevate your understanding of ChatGPT with Vanderbilt University’s Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT.