#chatbot glossary

Every important chatbot term explained
A
An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of rules, tools, and instructions that allow different software programs to talk to each other. APIs act as mediators that let two applications exchange data and features.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is all about creating super smart machines that can think and learn just like us humans. These AI systems are designed to handle tasks that normally require human smarts - things like understanding speech, making decisions, and translating languages.
Attributes are pieces of data that describe and provide additional information about a specific entity, such as a customer, product, or interaction. In CRM systems, chatbots, and marketing, attributes help organizations better understand and categorize their data.
An autoresponder is a feature that allows you to set up automatic messages that are sent in response to certain triggers. These triggers could be when someone signs up for a newsletter, sends a message, or takes another specific action.
C
Chatbots are computer programs designed to have conversations with people, especially over the internet. Chatbots can communicate through text or voice and are often used to provide customer service, answer questions, or help with various tasks.
A chatbot builder is a tool or platform that allows users to create and develop chatbots without extensive coding knowledge. These builders provide a user-friendly interface and a range of pre-built templates, workflows, and connections to simplify the chatbot development process.
A chatbot conversation flow is the planned steps of back-and-forth talking between a person and a chatbot. It shows the different paths the conversation can go based on what the person says. This helps the chatbot understand the person's goal and give helpful responses.
Chatbot types are the different kinds of chatbots based on what they can do, how they work, and what they're used for. The right chatbot type depends on how smart you need it to be, how complex the task is, and what resources you have for building and training it.
Chatbot UX is all about the experience users have when interacting with a chatbot. It covers the design and flow of conversations, visual elements, and overall ease of use when communicating with an AI-powered chat interface.
A chat widget is a little box or window that shows up on a website or app. It lets visitors easily start a chat conversation with a chatbot or human agent.
Cloning tools are software that allows you to create an identical copy or "clone" of another website, mobile app, or software program. They enable developers and designers to replicate the look, feel, and functionality of an existing product.
A conversational channel is any method or platform that allows two-way communication between a business and its customers in a conversational way. It's a channel for having back-and-forth conversations.
A conversational user interface (CUI) is a way for people to interact with computers, websites, or apps through natural conversations. Instead of using menus, forms or buttons, you can simply chat with the interface using text or voice commands.
A conversational user interface (CUI) is a way for people to interact with computers, websites, or apps through natural conversations. Instead of menus, forms or buttons, you simply chat with the interface using text or voice commands.
D
A decision tree is a tool that uses a branching method to show every possible outcome of a decision based on certain conditions. It represents a series of decisions and results in a tree-like model.
E
Entities are pieces of information that provide helpful context about what someone is saying in a conversation. They are words or phrases that refer to specific types of details like names, dates, locations, numbers, and so on.
F
A fallback is what a chatbot says when it doesn't understand or can't respond to what the user said. It's like a safety net to keep the conversation going.
In chatbots and conversational AI, filters are rules or conditions used to control the flow of a conversation based on certain criteria.
G
In conversational AI and chatbots, a greeting is the initial message or prompt that starts a conversation with a user.
H
Human handover is when a conversation moves from a chatbot to a live human agent. This happens when the chatbot can't fully help the user or the user asks to talk to a person.
I
Intent recognition is how chatbots figure out the purpose or goal behind what a user is saying. It's about understanding the user's true intent, not just the literal words.
L
Layered communication is breaking down conversations into different parts or intentions.
M
Machine learning is a type of artificial intelligence that allows computer systems to learn and get better from experience and data without being directly programmed.
Messenger chatbots are virtual assistants that live inside messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram, etc. Instead of a website or mobile app, users can interact with these chatbots through the familiar messaging interface they already use.
N
Natural language processing (NLP) is a field that combines artificial intelligence (AI), computer science, and linguistics. It focuses on enabling computers to understand and communicate using human language.
Natural language understanding (NLU) is a part of artificial intelligence that allows machines to comprehend the true meaning behind human language.
NLP, NLU and NLG are three interconnected fields in artificial intelligence that work together to enable computers to understand, interpret, and generate human language.
Q
Quick replies are buttons with pre-written responses in messaging apps or chatbots. They help users make choices easier instead of typing out full responses.
S
Sentiment analysis looks at pieces of text and figures out if the words express positive, negative or neutral feelings. It can tell if someone is saying something good or bad about a product, company, etc.
Software integration connects different computer programs so they can share information and work well together. It links up separate systems into one smooth operation.
A story is the step-by-step conversation between a user and a computer program or chatbot. It's the back-and-forth messages and questions that happen during one interaction.
T
A transfer is when a chatbot sends you to talk to a real human instead. This happens if the chatbot can't fully help with your problem or question.
A trigger is an event or condition that causes a chatbot to take action and respond to a user. Triggers are the catalyst that starts a conversation or prompts the chatbot to do something.
A typing delay is a short pause before a chatbot responds to you. It's the few seconds you wait after sending a message. This delay makes it feel like someone is actually typing out the response.
U
An utterance is a single, complete piece of speech or text in a conversation. It's anything that someone says or types during an interaction with a chatbot or conversational AI.
V
A voice user interface lets you control a computer or device by talking to it out loud instead of typing or tapping. You speak voice commands, and the device understands what you said.
W
A webhook is a way for one app or service to send real-time data to another app or service over the internet. It's like a automated notification that something happened.