Top-10 AI Chatbot Use Cases

What if you never had to work on a Friday again, or never had to deal with those awful Monday morning problems?

As the world continues to adapt to living with COVID-19, people are dreaming of a different kind of work schedule.

This idea is based on working just as hard, but for a shorter period of time. A four day week may seem like a crazy proposition to some, but there are places where it is working.

It’s really about cutting out things that waste time, and then adopting new technologies that add efficiencies.

Welcome to the world of AI powered chatbots.

Artificial intelligence could be the answer to improving a person's professional and private life. Here is a short list of the many chatbot use cases.

1. Healthcare at home… or anywhere

For people with concerns about the coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention uses an AI chatbot which acts as a ‘self checker’.

A year ago the results would have been much different, but with the desire to limit interactions, people are warming to the choice of virtual medical care.

Mental health is at the forefront in 2020 as many people in countries around the globe struggle with isolation and loneliness. Work is accelerating on cognitive therapy apps that provide support for such things as addiction, depression, and sleep disorders.

2. Banking 24/7

Okay, so no one has had to go inside a bank or use a bank machine to pay bills or transfer funds for years. But this kind of service is on another level. 

Intelligent chatbots in the banking industry have the power to transform how people spend and save. 

There is no way to hide from an online shopping splurge when an app gives alerts on account balances or compiles a graph on spending patterns.

3. Customer support, without the elevator music

It’s something everyone can relate to; needing help with a product or service, and then spending literally hours on the phone on hold. 

But now it’s becoming easier for businesses of all sizes to design a new virtual assistant on an AI chatbot platform.

Perhaps the virtual agent is responsible for answering frequently asked questions or it’s one that utilizes natural language processing with the goal to improve customer experience.

4. Help, I need an IT expert

As society becomes more reliant on technology, there are more tech issues. And no, not everything can be solved with a reboot, factory reset, or turning the device off/on. (Although a lot of the time it can!)

Inside a business, things can go off the rails very quickly if key members of staff are dealing with frequent computer crashes, for example. 

An IT chatbot would be available outside office hours, send out notifications, manage incidents, and more. Improving IT service delivery through AI could reduce stress in the workplace.

5. Generating new business 

Social media is probably the big way these days to attract new customers. A savvy ‘influencer’ could attract a lot of website hits. But what happens when they get there?

Building a chatbot would be beneficial to retaining the new visitors. An AI ‘greeter’ would collect information, such as an email address, to send potential clients a welcome offer and information about the business.

The well-designed virtual agent could also ask and answer questions in a fun sort of way. 

6. What time is your appointment?

If there is one thing people do constantly, it’s line up - in person, on the phone, and on line. But (sigh), do we really need to do that so often?

One way to increase customer satisfaction at the end is to make things easier from the start.

People should be able to book a car service appointment on a mobile app in the middle of the night or schedule a doctor’s appointment.

Even the bridal industry, which has taken a big hit during the pandemic, is now turning to chatbot development.

7.  Do you want pepperoni on that?

Food ordering and delivery is all about convenience. With today’s technology it really has to be very simple to use.

One food chatbot, in particular for Domino's Pizza, has been getting rave reviews. Hungry customers can place an order, reorder their favourite pizza, and track their order in real time.

An added bonus… it’s available on multiple platforms. ‘That’s amore!’

8. What’s the news?

In an attempt to stop all the ‘fake news’, the BBC launched its own Corona Bot so that people can ask questions and get the latest on COVID-19 restrictions in the U.K.

Other news chatbots allow for customization of news feed topics through Facebook Messenger. Access the one from NBC News, sign up for breaking news alerts, and get the latest stories.

9. Product recommendations

Online shopping is easier and riskier these days. (for the budget-conscious) Buy or put an item in your shopping cart and a bunch of recommendations pop-up.

Amazon gives customers suggestions like ‘frequently bought together’ or ‘related to items you’ve viewed’.

Marketing experts can also leverage chatbots through information gained in user searches. 

10.  Be my friend

In the early, dark days of the quarantines and lockdowns this year, some people were turning to AI for comfort. The Replika app offers conversation, and users overlook the fact that it’s not a live chat with an actual human.

As health officials continue to urge social distancing and more people work remotely, AI virtual companions could become more important….. than real people.

‘AI can be our friend.’ – Bill Gates