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What Is a Chatbot—And How Do They Work?

A chatbot is a type of artificial intelligence that can simulate conversation with human users. It can be used to provide customer service, gather information, or entertain users.

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Astro standing in front of a Service console showing chatbot workflows.

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Chatbot FAQs

A chatbot is a computer program. It is designed to simulate conversations with people. Chatbots use text or voice. They answer questions or do simple tasks.

Chatbots provide instant responses to common inquiries, offer 24/7 support, reduce wait times, and free up experts for more complex issues, improving overall efficiency.

Types include rule-based chatbots (following predefined scripts), AI-powered or generative chatbots (using machine learning for natural conversation), and hybrid models.

Chatbots are widely adopted in customer service, retail, healthcare, banking, telecommunications, and travel to automate support and information dissemination.

Benefits include cost savings, increased customer satisfaction, improved lead generation, consistent brand messaging, and scalability to handle large volumes of interactions.

Chatbots can be integrated directly into website chat widgets, mobile applications via APIs, or messaging apps like WhatsApp and Messenger.

Limitations can include difficulty handling complex or nuanced queries, lack of empathy, reliance on data quality for AI models, and potential for misinterpretations.