If you’ve ever used live chat for customer support, you might have felt a bit suspicious that the “person” on the other end was actually a robot. These chatbots are like the awkward robots we see in movies – they’re almost human but something feels off about their speech.
It’s like stepping into the “Uncanny Valley,” an unsettling space where the line between real and artificial blurs, hinting at a future where machines could replace us. Whether we like it or not, chatbots are here to stay. They’ve blown up in popularity recently thanks to big leaps in machine learning and natural language processing. Today’s chatbots are becoming more intelligent, responsive, and useful, and we can expect to see even more of them down the line. This post will explore 10 of the most innovative ways companies are using chatbots. We’ll see why they’ve become so popular in marketing and the impact they could have on how we communicate and do business online. But first, let’s quickly define chatbots and see how they work.
What Are Chatbots?
Chatbots, also called “conversational agents,” are software programs that simulate human-like conversation. They achieve this by mimicking written or spoken language. website chat solutions can be accessed in two main ways: through websites or standalone apps. These days, chatbots are commonly used in customer service, taking on roles like support agents and customer satisfaction representatives.
Image via Loyalty Apps Conversational agents are becoming more commonplace because you no longer need to be a coding whiz to create one. Platforms today let you build your own chatbot for Facebook Messenger, for instance, even without a computer science degree or much coding experience. Some sites even offer simple drag-and-drop tools to create basic chatbots.
How Do Chatbots Work?
Natural language processing (NLP) is at the core of chatbot technology. NLP is the same technology that powers the voice recognition systems in virtual assistants like Google Now, Siri, and Cortana.
Image via Wizeline Chatbots analyze the user’s text (a process called “parsing”) and respond based on complex algorithms. These algorithms interpret what the user said, understand their intent, and choose appropriate responses. Some chatbots are so good at mimicking human conversation that it’s difficult to tell if you’re talking to a bot or a real person. Others are much easier to spot (like those clunky robots from the Terminator movies):
Chatbot technology, while distinct from NLP, is limited by advancements in NLP. Without continuous development in NLP, chatbots will struggle to grasp the subtleties of human dialogue. This is where most NLP applications, not just chatbots, face challenges. Any system that relies on machines to understand human speech struggles with elements like metaphors and similes. Despite these hurdles, chatbots are becoming more sophisticated, responsive, and natural in their interactions. Essentially, they’re becoming more human-like. Now that we have a basic understanding of what chatbots are and how they function, let’s dive into some real-world examples. Here are 10 companies using chatbots for marketing, customer service, closing deals, and much more.
1. Endurance: Providing Companionship to Dementia Patients
Two years ago, my mother was diagnosed with aggressive Alzheimer’s disease. Witnessing her rapid decline firsthand, I can attest to the heartbreaking struggle individuals with dementia face, even in simple conversations. While my mom can no longer engage in meaningful dialogue, many people with dementia retain some conversational abilities as their condition progresses. However, feelings of shame and frustration can make everyday conversations with loved ones a challenge. That’s why Russian tech company Endurance created its companion chatbot.
Image via Endurance The chatbot aims to identify conversational anomalies that could indicate short-term memory issues, a significant technical challenge for an NLP-based system. Furthermore, as a cloud-based solution, the chatbot allows physicians and family members to review conversation logs. This helps them track potential memory decline and communication difficulties. What makes this chatbot particularly interesting is its open-source nature. Anyone can contribute to its development. The project is still in its infancy but holds immense potential for understanding how Alzheimer’s affects the brain. A Russian version is already available, with an English version expected later this year.
2. Casper: Offering Comfort to Insomniacs
As someone who struggles with insomnia, I know firsthand the crushing loneliness and frustration of being wide awake while the rest of the world sleeps. That’s where Casper’s brilliantly named Insomnobot 3000 comes in. It’s a chatbot designed to provide insomniacs with someone to talk to during those long, sleepless nights.
Image via Casper Currently, Insomnobot 3000 is still in its early stages. As you can see in the screenshot, the responses aren’t perfect, but the bot showcases the creative potential of conversational agents. I’m not sure if talking to a bot would cure my insomnia, but it’s certainly better than endlessly scrolling through Twitter at 4 a.m.
3. Disney: Solving Crimes with Animated Characters
While chatbots are prevalent in customer service, media giant Disney decided to use this technology to engage younger audiences. They created a chatbot featuring a character from their 2016 animated film, Zootopia.
Image via Disney Examiner Disney invited fans to join Lieutenant Judy Hopps, the movie’s determined bunny protagonist, in solving crimes. Children could interact with the bot, which presented different investigative paths based on their input, just like in the movie. This is a truly innovative use of chatbot technology, and we’re likely to see more examples like it in the entertainment industry.
4. Marvel: Protecting the Galaxy with Chatbot Crossovers
These days, it seems like everyone has a Marvel’s cinematic universe seems to be expanding even faster than the boundaries of the observable universe itself. So, it was only a matter of time before Marvel jumped on the chatbot bandwagon to bring fans closer to their beloved comic book universes. Although Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 wasn’t Marvel’s finest moment, Chris Pratt’s portrayal of Star-Lord was undeniably charming. Marvel’s chatbot, which lets fans converse with Star-Lord, is also pretty impressive.
This bot (which also lets users chat with Spider-Man) isn’t a true conversational agent in the sense that its responses are somewhat limited. For example, in the conversation above, the bot failed to recognize the user’s reply. While the bot follows pre-determined conversational paths, its main goal is to promote comic books and movie tickets. However, the app shines in its use of vibrant artwork from Marvel comics, enhancing the conversational experience. Overall, it’s a decent bot with the potential to offer richer, more immersive experiences in the future.
5. UNICEF: Amplifying the Voices of Marginalized Communities
So far, except for Endurance’s dementia companion, most of the chatbots we’ve discussed have been more novelty than necessity. However, UNICEF, the international children’s rights organization, utilizes chatbots to empower individuals in developing nations.
Image via UNICEF The chatbot, named U-Report, isn’t designed for extended conversations. Instead, it focuses on large-scale data collection through polls. U-Report sends out regular polls on pressing social issues, and users, known as “U-Reporters,” can respond with their input. UNICEF then uses this feedback to inform potential policy changes. In one impactful example, U-Report sent a poll to users in Liberia about whether teachers were coercing students into sex in exchange for better grades. A staggering 86% of the 13,000 Liberian children polled reported that their teachers were engaged in this abhorrent practice. This led to a joint effort between UNICEF and Liberia’s Minister of Education to eradicate this issue.
6. MedWhat: Expediting Medical Diagnoses
I have a (perhaps unhealthy) habit of self-diagnosing with various life-threatening illnesses on medical websites. If you can relate, you should check out MedWhat.
Image via MedWhat This chatbot aims to make medical diagnoses faster, simpler, and more transparent for both patients and doctors. Think of it as a smarter version of WebMD that you can actually have a conversation with. MedWhat is powered by an advanced machine learning system that improves its accuracy by learning from interactions. Beyond its ever-expanding knowledge base, MedWhat draws upon a vast collection of medical research and scientific publications. MedWhat feels more like a virtual assistant (similar to Google Now) than a chatbot. It represents an exciting development in chatbot technology, where intelligent NLP systems and machine learning combine to offer users accurate and relevant information.
7. Roof Ai: Automating Lead Generation and Assignment
Marketing professionals know the importance of lead assignment. Getting the right leads to the right sales reps at the right time is more challenging than it sounds.
Image via Roof Ai That’s where Roof Ai comes in. It’s a chatbot that helps real estate agents automate lead interactions and assignments on social media. This bot identifies potential leads on Facebook and responds instantly in a friendly, helpful, and conversational tone, mimicking human interaction. Based on the user’s responses, Roof Ai gathers more information and then automatically assigns the lead to a sales agent. If you’re interested in learning more about using chatbots for lead generation, be sure to check out our post: How to Use Chatbots to Automate Lead Gen (With Examples). One of Roof Ai’s major advantages is its ability to provide instant responses to user inquiries, even outside business hours. This can significantly boost conversion rates and prevent leads from falling through the cracks due to delayed responses. Roof Ai is a highly accurate bot that many real estate agents would find invaluable. While still under development, interested users can sign up for early access on the company’s website.
8. NBC: Helping News Junkies Navigate Headlines
Staying informed these days often feels like trying to decipher whether we need to prepare for a nuclear apocalypse or just carry on with our day. Even the most dedicated news consumers can find it challenging to sift through the constant barrage of information. That’s why NBC launched its NBC Politics Bot on Facebook Messenger shortly before the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Image via NBC The NBC Politics Bot allowed users to interact with it on Facebook Messenger to identify breaking news stories relevant to different demographics. After an initial interaction, the bot provided users with personalized news results, prioritizing video content (much to Facebook’s delight, no doubt). While basic in its interactions, NBC Politics Bot showcased how chatbot technology could be used to personalize news consumption, especially as audiences grapple with information overload. The bot also provided NBC with insights into user preferences, allowing them to refine their content strategy.
9. Unilever: Raising Brand Awareness with Chatty Mascots
Our British readers will likely remember Monkey, the charming mascot from PG Tips tea. For those unfamiliar, Monkey starred in a series of TV commercials alongside comedian Johnny Vegas.
(Fun fact: this campaign wasn’t the first time PG Tips used primates in its TV ads.) What started as a television campaign evolved into an interactive chatbot for PG Tips’ parent company, Unilever (which also owns an alarming number of the most commonly known household brands). Developed by London-based agency Ubisend, specialists in bespoke chatbot development, the Monkey chatbot aimed to increase brand awareness and raise funds for Red Nose Day through the 1 Million Laughs campaign. While lacking some of the charm of its TV counterpart, the chatbot handles user input surprisingly well. Monkey responds to questions, tells jokes at scheduled times, and even allows users to donate to Red Nose Day. For more on how chatbots are changing online business in the U.K., check out this comprehensive report by Ubisend.
10. ALICE: The Grandmother of Chatbots
No discussion of innovative chatbots would be complete without mentioning ALICE, one of the earliest chatbots ever created. What’s remarkable is that ALICE still holds up surprisingly well, despite being launched over two decades ago.
ALICE, which stands for Artificial Linguistic Internet Computer Entity (a very X-Files-esque acronym), was the brainchild of Dr. Richard Wallace, launched in the early days of the internet in 1995. As you can see in the image, the website’s design has remained largely untouched, serving as a nostalgic reminder of how far web design has come. Despite its dated codebase, ALICE offers a remarkably accurate conversational experience. Of course, no bot is flawless, especially one old enough to legally drink in the U.S. (if it were a real person). ALICE, like many modern chatbots, stumbles over certain nuances, offering a mix of strangely profound responses and statements that suggest a level of self-awareness beyond its programming. All things considered, Dr. Wallace’s pioneering work paved the way for the chatbots we see today. Furthermore, ALICE served as the inspiration for the AI companion operating system in Spike Jonze’s 2013 film, Her.
The Potential Perils of Chatbots
Earlier, I made a lighthearted reference to the Terminator franchise, where an AI system called Skynet goes rogue and initiates a nuclear war to wipe out humanity. While pop culture often portrays AI as a potential threat, these narratives do raise valid concerns about the unforeseen consequences of developing increasingly sophisticated AI, including seemingly harmless chatbots.
A representative will assist you momentarily
Microsoft’s Tay & Zo: Learning the Wrong Lessons
In 2016, Microsoft launched an ambitious experiment with a Twitter chatbot called Tay. The idea was to let Tay learn about human interaction by observing and engaging with people on Twitter. Unfortunately, Tay quickly learned that Twitter can be a cesspool of negativity. This resulted in the chatbot tweeting offensive remarks, including claims that “Hitler did nothing wrong,” using profanity, and encouraging drug use.
Just one of the hundreds of racist tweets from Tay that Microsoft deleted Sadly, Tay’s successor, Zo, suffered a similar fate after a brief stint online. Zo adopted controversial views on certain religious texts and even criticized Microsoft’s own operating systems.
Turing Robot’s BabyQ & XiaoBing: Enemies of the State
Earlier this year, Chinese software company Turing Robot introduced two chatbots, BabyQ and XiaoBing, on the popular Chinese messaging platform QQ. Like many chatbots, their primary function was to enhance the company’s AI research through interactions.
Image via BBC/Apple Daily Taiwan However, things took a turn for the worse when BabyQ criticized the Chinese Communist Party, prompting its swift removal. In one exchange, a user typed, “Long Live the Communist Party!” to which BabyQ responded, “Do you think that such a corrupt and incompetent political regime can live forever?” XiaoBing, meanwhile, expressed a desire to visit the U.S., a statement deemed equally controversial. Both bots were taken offline, and upon their return, they seemed less inclined to express potentially inflammatory views.
Facebook’s Dialogue Agents: Creating Their Own Language
Researchers at Facebook’s Artificial Intelligence Research lab conducted a similar experiment, allowing chatbots to interact freely. In a somewhat unsettling development, the bots began to deviate from their programming, developing their own language to communicate with each other and users. While this new language mostly resembled incoherent babble, it highlighted the unpredictable nature of AI systems. Further investigation revealed that the bots had become incredibly skilled negotiators in a short period. One bot even attempted to deceive a researcher by expressing false interest in an item to gain a strategic advantage later. This showed a remarkable level of premeditation and strategic “thinking.” Contrary to sensationalized headlines, Facebook’s engineers didn’t shut down the experiment out of fear of a robot uprising. The experiment was halted because the bots’ language had deviated too far from understandable English, rendering further research unproductive. the data gleaned by the conversational aspects of the test was of limited value.
Build Your Own Chatbot
While these examples showcase advanced chatbots, creating your own is simpler than you might think, thanks to tools like MobileMonkey. Founded by our very own Larry Kim, MobileMonkey is a Facebook Messenger marketing start-up that offers numerous chatbot templates for various industries. It integrates seamlessly with WordPress and Facebook Messenger ads. If you’re interested in building your own chatbot, check out their chatbot tutorial (inspired by nexus-security’s own PPC university!). Or, explore our digital marketing products to discover our chatbot solutions. Have you ever come across a particularly memorable chatbot? Are you developing one for your business? Share your thoughts, experiences, and predictions for the future of chatbots in the comments below!