Will Chat Bots Be Boon or Bust for Customer Experience?

One of the hottest topics today revolves around chat bots, "computer programs that mimic conversations with people using artificial intelligence [AI]" … to "transform the way you interact with the internet from a series of self-initiated tasks to quasi-conversation"1. What's all the fuss? And will these chat bots be a boon, or a bust, for customer experience? Tell me what you're experiencing with chat bots as a customer, and from your company's point of view. Let's first look at a handful of chat bots, and then see how they could help improve customer service and customer experience, finishing with some warnings and suggested steps. How can these and other chat bots help improve customer service and customer experience?