AI-Powered Chatbots are Helping businesses and NGOs

With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), businesses globally are adopting chatbots and Virtual Assistants for improved efficiency in their customer service practices and lead generation processes. NLP is a key technology that enables these platforms to understand human language and respond accordingly.

Indian companies working actively in this domain, including Yellow AI, YugasaBot, Haptik, and a few more claim a promising futures for Conversational AI. Some industry experts are seeing chatbots replacing mobile applications for requirements like e-commerce and telemedicine to a great extent in the coming future.

A UK-based NGO that is supporting Ukrainian evacuees to find shelter in the UK is utilizing YugasaBot to populate its database with information from those local residents who are willing to provide shelter to Ukrainians. The chatbot communicates with the UK hosts to collect information on how many spare rooms they have and how many people can they accommodate along with other important details. The information is then stored on a Google Sheet which is used by the NGO members to allocate families accordingly. This is a great example of how AI and chatbots can be used for the greater good.

Schneider Electric India has also recently deployed an AI-enabled chatbot named 'Koko' on its Magento-based eCommerce website and on their Whatsapp account for enhanced shopping experience for its customers and to automate post-sales customer support through Conversational AI-powered by YugasaBot. Using AI and NLP, Koko understands the customers' needs just like an offline store manager would, i.e., if a customer types in 'need a 3 pin 6 Amp switch', the chatbot will apply the appropriate filters and show them the right product list. The chatbot is integrated with WhatsApp to provide continuous delivery status updates and notifications to customers about their orders.

Similarly, health startups like Docgenie are utilizing chatbots in hybrid mode (including human agent handover) for appointment bookings and selling health packages on their website and on Whatsapp.

We are on the cusp of a new era in human history. One in which AI will play a major role in our lives. Chatbots are just one example of how AI is changing the way we interact with technology. A fear factor associated with AI is that it may make some jobs obsolete. But instead of being afraid, let's embrace this new technology as a new disruptor which can create new jobs and a better future for humanity.