Robots, Bots, and Chatbots. These three terms may sound very similar but are completely different. They are one of the top 2018 technology trends, especially now that we are starting to understand how each can impact our daily lives. It is also important to know how each is unique from the other and how they can help us with productivity.
Bots
Let’s start things off by removing the confusion between bots and robots. Bots are not the same as robots. Bots are complex computer programs that automatically perform repetitive tasks. They aim to relieve menial tasks and reduce human error to provide a precise outcome. They also automate interactions and engage with website content on a wider scale. Bots have been here for a while, especially due to the internet with the emergence of Google and Facebook. There has also been some stigma with bots due to misuse because they have been used in spreading viruses and crippling even important digital service sectors. The fact is that bots are becoming easier to implement and are getting more involved in our daily lives.
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A bot is essentially a program that eases and reduces tasks, but a robot is a physical machine often resembling something human-like and usually performs complicated and repetitive tasks. Unlike a bot, robots gear toward more physical tasks rather than digital, and sometimes a combination of both. A robot can have the features and capabilities of a bot but differs itself by having a physical entity that can aid in day-to-day tasks.
Chatbots are a specific type of bot designed to communicate, collect and assess human interaction. In the past, it was somewhat of a novelty, but because of rapid advancement and desire for something greater, it has become an entity of its own. Chatbots can now access and adapt to users and consumer through the data it has collected, and they should definitely be considered in businesses. There have been some websites that use the same framework as a chatbot to track and gather their site traffic so they can study to improve their websites. It wouldn’t be far too long now before we can see and/or hear a near-human-like chatbot in the future.