Interactive online characters
Encyclopedia
An automated online assistant is a program that uses artificial intelligence
to provide customer service
or other assistance on a website
. Such an assistant may basically consist of a dialog system
, an avatar, as well an expert system
to provide specific expertise to the user.
Automated online assistants have the ability to provide customer service
during 24 hours a day and 7 days a week
, and may, at least, be a complement to customer service by humans. One report estimated that an automated online assistant produced a 30% decrease in the work-load for a human-provided call centre
.
has an automated online assistant in their help center.
Automated online assistants can also be implemented via Twitter
, or Windows Live Messenger
, such as, for example, Robocoke for Coca Cola Hungary. This automated online assistant provides users with information about the brand Coca Cola, but he can also give users party and concert recommendations all over Hungary.
Popular online portals like eBay and PayPal are also using multi lingual virtual agents to offer online support to their customers. For example, PayPal uses Louise to handle queries in English and Léa to handle queries in French. Developed by VirtuOz, both agents handle 400,000 conversations in a month. These agents have been functional since September 2008 on PayPal websites.
of automated online assistants is to translate the human-generated input into a digital format that the automated online assistant can use for further processing by its expert system, as well as interpret whatever solutions or replies it generates back to what a human user understands, and optimally in a way as natural and user-friendly as possible. A major underlying technology to such systems is natural language processing
.
In addition, the dialog systems of many automated online assistants have integrated chatterbot
s, giving them more or less ability of engaging in small talk
or casual conversations unrelated to the scope of their expert systems, or simply making the dialog feel more natural.
Because such characters can express social roles and emotions of real people, they can increase the trust
that users place in online experiences. The level of interactiveness increases the perceived realism and effectiveness of such "actors", which translates into more prosperous on-line services and commerce.
that provides specific service, whose scope depends on the purpose of it.
Also, servers
and other maintaining systems to keep the automated assistant online may also be regarded as components of it.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
to provide customer service
Customer service
Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase.According to Turban et al. , “Customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer...
or other assistance on a website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
. Such an assistant may basically consist of a dialog system
Dialog system
A dialog system or conversational agent is a computer system intended to converse with a human, with a coherent structure. Dialog systems have employed text, speech, graphics, haptics, gestures and other modes for communication on both the input and output channel.What does and does not constitute...
, an avatar, as well an expert system
Expert system
In artificial intelligence, an expert system is a computer system that emulates the decision-making ability of a human expert. Expert systems are designed to solve complex problems by reasoning about knowledge, like an expert, and not by following the procedure of a developer as is the case in...
to provide specific expertise to the user.
Automated online assistants have the ability to provide customer service
Customer service
Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase.According to Turban et al. , “Customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer...
during 24 hours a day and 7 days a week
24/7
24/7 is an abbreviation which stands for "24 hours a day, 7 days a week", usually referring to a business or service available at all times without interruption...
, and may, at least, be a complement to customer service by humans. One report estimated that an automated online assistant produced a 30% decrease in the work-load for a human-provided call centre
Call centre
A call centre or call center is a centralised office used for the purpose of receiving and transmitting a large volume of requests by telephone. A call centre is operated by a company to administer incoming product support or information inquiries from consumers. Outgoing calls for telemarketing,...
.
Usage
Large companies such as Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland are now using automated online assistants instead of call centres with humans to provide a first point of contact. Also, IKEAIKEA
IKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the world's largest furniture retailer...
has an automated online assistant in their help center.
Automated online assistants can also be implemented via Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
, or Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Messenger is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP , Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Xbox 360, Blackberry OS, iOS, Java ME, S60 on Symbian OS 9.x and Zune HD...
, such as, for example, Robocoke for Coca Cola Hungary. This automated online assistant provides users with information about the brand Coca Cola, but he can also give users party and concert recommendations all over Hungary.
Popular online portals like eBay and PayPal are also using multi lingual virtual agents to offer online support to their customers. For example, PayPal uses Louise to handle queries in English and Léa to handle queries in French. Developed by VirtuOz, both agents handle 400,000 conversations in a month. These agents have been functional since September 2008 on PayPal websites.
Dialog system
The main function of the dialog systemDialog system
A dialog system or conversational agent is a computer system intended to converse with a human, with a coherent structure. Dialog systems have employed text, speech, graphics, haptics, gestures and other modes for communication on both the input and output channel.What does and does not constitute...
of automated online assistants is to translate the human-generated input into a digital format that the automated online assistant can use for further processing by its expert system, as well as interpret whatever solutions or replies it generates back to what a human user understands, and optimally in a way as natural and user-friendly as possible. A major underlying technology to such systems is natural language processing
Natural language processing
Natural language processing is a field of computer science and linguistics concerned with the interactions between computers and human languages; it began as a branch of artificial intelligence....
.
In addition, the dialog systems of many automated online assistants have integrated chatterbot
Chatterbot
A chatter robot, chatterbot, chatbot, or chat bot is a computer program designed to simulate an intelligent conversation with one or more human users via auditory or textual methods, primarily for engaging in small talk. The primary aim of such simulation has been to fool the user into thinking...
s, giving them more or less ability of engaging in small talk
Small talk (phatic communication)
Small talk is an informal type of discourse that does not cover any functional topics of conversation or any transactions that need to be addressed....
or casual conversations unrelated to the scope of their expert systems, or simply making the dialog feel more natural.
Avatar
The avatar of an automated online assistant may be called an interactive online character or automated character. It makes the automated online assistant a form of embodied agent. It aims to enhance human-computer interaction by simulating real-world conversations and experience. Such an interaction model can be constructed to guide conversations in planned directions or allow characters to guide natural language exchanges.Because such characters can express social roles and emotions of real people, they can increase the trust
that users place in online experiences. The level of interactiveness increases the perceived realism and effectiveness of such "actors", which translates into more prosperous on-line services and commerce.
Other components
An automated online assistant also has an expert systemExpert system
In artificial intelligence, an expert system is a computer system that emulates the decision-making ability of a human expert. Expert systems are designed to solve complex problems by reasoning about knowledge, like an expert, and not by following the procedure of a developer as is the case in...
that provides specific service, whose scope depends on the purpose of it.
Also, servers
Server (computing)
In the context of client-server architecture, a server is a computer program running to serve the requests of other programs, the "clients". Thus, the "server" performs some computational task on behalf of "clients"...
and other maintaining systems to keep the automated assistant online may also be regarded as components of it.
See also
- Applications of artificial intelligenceApplications of artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence has been used in a wide range of fields including medical diagnosis, stock trading, robot control, law, scientific discovery and toys...
- Avatar (computing)Avatar (computing)In computing, an avatar is the graphical representation of the user or the user's alter ego or character. It may take either a three-dimensional form, as in games or virtual worlds, or a two-dimensional form as an icon in Internet forums and other online communities. It can also refer to a text...
- ChatterbotChatterbotA chatter robot, chatterbot, chatbot, or chat bot is a computer program designed to simulate an intelligent conversation with one or more human users via auditory or textual methods, primarily for engaging in small talk. The primary aim of such simulation has been to fool the user into thinking...
- Computer facial animationComputer facial animationComputer facial animation is primarily an area of computer graphics that encapsulates models and techniques for generating and animating images of the human head and face. Due to its subject and output type, it is also related to many other scientific and artistic fields from psychology to...
- Natural language processingNatural language processingNatural language processing is a field of computer science and linguistics concerned with the interactions between computers and human languages; it began as a branch of artificial intelligence....
- Simulated realitySimulated realitySimulated reality is the proposition that reality could be simulated—perhaps by computer simulation—to a degree indistinguishable from "true" reality. It could contain conscious minds which may or may not be fully aware that they are living inside a simulation....
- Wizard (software)Wizard (software)A software wizard or setup assistant is a user interface type that presents a user with a sequence of dialog boxes that lead the user through a series of well-defined steps. Tasks that are complex, infrequently performed, or unfamiliar may be easier to perform using a wizard...