What is a chatbot?

A chatbot is a dialogue-based computer system, which uses natural language as a medium for communication. Chatbots are a proven means of carrying out actions and answering inquiries automatically and without human intervention.

Consisting of the terms “Chat” (German: entertainment) and “Bot” (short form for the English word “robot”), the term dates back to the last century. In the 1960s, the computer scientist developed Joseph Weizenbaum the virtual psychotherapist ELIZA, which is officially considered the first chatbot. Even though ELIZA had a comparatively simple dialogue system by today's standards, Weizenbaum was able to gain astonishing insights into people's communication behavior (e.g. Eliza effect).

The dialog system of the first chatbots was purely text-based. Developments in the fields of language analysis and artificial intelligence have increasingly added visual and linguistic elements in recent years. As a result, bots, as chatbots are abbreviated, communicate today using a mixture of text, images and speech. A chatbot that is also able to work with the spoken word is also known as a voice assistant.

How does a chatbot work?

In a highly simplified form, chatbots consist of 3 functions: Accept a request, Understanding the request and Reply to a request. In order to be able to answer questions, knowledge databases and third-party systems such as Office or Google are now accessed.

Before the bot is able to provide answers, it must first analyze the request. In this step, possible syntax errors are identified and corrected. Even more profound semantic errors are discovered using the latest artificial intelligence technologies, so that the chatbot can also understand and process such requests. In general, the first step of understanding is always the most critical and therefore the most important step. This is where it is determined how well the output matches the input. For this reason, numerous recognition patterns and algorithms have been developed for this purpose in recent years, which are constantly improving the process.

After the request has been extracted and thus understood, research is carried out in various knowledge databases and other third-party systems from the Internet. Some requests also require you to perform a special action, such as turning on the light or turning off the radio. This action is also done by the bot. As soon as the appropriate information has been found, the chatbot creates an answer using text-based, visual and linguistic elements and sends it back to the requestor.

Where is a chatbot used?

Chatbots are currently a Hype theme. They are used wherever communication from person to person or Machine to human takes place. They become both private entertainment purposes, but also in Customer and employee communication companies used.

Chatbots like Google Home, Amazon's Alexa or the Siri Homepod drag in rows in private households one. Their ability to make everyday life easier, for example by turning lights on and off using voice, playing music and starting vacuum cleaning robots, has convinced many end users of the technology. Siri, Alexa & Co. make people's lives easier even on the go. This makes it possible to do things while driving, such as opening the garage or sending messages. Especially in cars, where the focus must be on the road, these capabilities open up completely new areas of application and improvements.

On social networks, the so-called Social bots Their triumphal march has already begun. Social bots operate on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. They welcome new members, automatically post posts, respond to comments, and administer forums.

Auch Companies have already recognized the benefits of chatbots. Corporate communication is being taken to a whole new level with chatbots. For example, chatbots are increasingly greeting visitors to websites and asking directly about the issue. Customers don't have to search long, they get their answer straight away. Companies understand what customers want much more quickly and can act more quickly. They can adapt their service, which once again benefits end users.

New collaboration platforms such as Microsoft Teams or Slack promote the culture of chatbots. In Microsoft Teams, it is possible to publish apps and chatbots, which can also be used by other companies. This allows chatbots that e.g. Answer questions about orders, products, and offers can be adapted very easily by customers. Customers no longer have to leave their collaboration platform to obtain information and place orders.

Auch Employees benefit from chatbots. Inspection reports, appointment reports and telephone call records are sent to a chatbot via text and voice than created via Microsoft Office and email. Appointments can be easily listened to while driving, much like a podcast. The list of everyday simplifications made by this intelligent assistant is virtually unlimited.