First Impressions Matter with Chatbots

A study of 100 people from a variety of ages and technical aptitudes conducted at business school Bentley University in Massachusetts found that just as with other humans, people form first impressions of chatbots that stick. The study was conducted as part of the school's Human Factors and Information Design program, by students working under Bentley adjunct lecturer Meena Kothandaraman, founder of the twig fish research practice, and in partnership with NeuraFlash, a Boston-based firm that uses AI for Salesforce consulting. The takeaway for botbuilders is obvious: However sophisticated your bot, or whether it hangs out with Maroon 5, its first greeting and responses to new contacts will determine whether they find it an automated annoyance or a new best friend.