Chatbots evolve from greeting tool to customer service must-have

Chatbots were simple in the beginning, often limited to web browser pop-ups that could only send straightforward greetings like "Hi, how are you?" to website visitors. Because of AI and cloud technology, chatbots are no longer just a nice-to-have greeting tool, but a key element in fostering a more engaging customer experience for businesses across every industry. By tapping into deep learning technologies, these tools learn, converse, and understand the world similarly to the way humans do, making customer service simpler and more efficient. Consumers are encountering these technologies more frequently -- according to Gartner, by 2018, 30 percent of our interactions with new technologies will be through "conversations" with smart machines. Chatbots can be found everywhere, helping customers with nearly any task, from online shopping to planning a wedding.