Decoding AI Interactions: Chatbots, Agents, and Assistants Explained

AI generated image and slightly edited by author

In the rapidly evolving world of Artificial Intelligence, terms like “assistants,” “agents,” and “chatbots” often used interchangeably. Yet, as similar as these technologies may seem, they have distinct roles and functionalities that set them apart. This article discusses about these terms in detail and the differences to help one understand which tool might be best suited for their needs.

Chatbot is a software application designed to have conversations with human users via text or text-to-speech. Chatbots are often rule-based or use simple natural language processing (NLP) techniques to understand and respond to user queries. They operate on a set of predefined pathways and responses, making them great for handling FAQs or providing standard customer service on websites.

Key characteristics of Chatbots:

• Scripted responses: Chatbots follow predefined scripts and are limited to the scenarios they were programmed to handle.
• Limited context understanding: They typically handle short exchanges and struggle with understanding context or past interactions unless specifically designed to do so.
• Automation: Ideal for automating standard tasks without needing human intervention.