The Chatbot Conference 2019, held in New York City, was a pivotal event that showcased the latest advancements and applications in conversational AI and chatbot technologies.
This conference brought together industry leaders, innovators, and experts to share their insights and explore the future of AI-driven communication.
This Conference was the first time we featured NLG and OpenAI which is all the rage today.
Key Takeaways from the Conference
1. Natural Language Generation (NLG) for Conversational AI by Sander Wubben
One of the most groundbreaking discussions at the conference was on Natural Language Generation (NLG), presented by Sander Wubben. This was the first time NLG was prominently featured, and it has since become a cornerstone of conversational AI.
Wubben's talk focused on how bots can generate answers based on training data and statistics rather than traditional Natural Language Processing (NLP) or Natural Language Understanding (NLU). He explained that while NLG is not yet ready for full production use due to unpredictability, it is highly effective in training chatbots by generating paraphrased examples and assisting human agents with response suggestions.
This technology has revolutionized how businesses interact with customers, providing more personalized and efficient communication.
2. How TurboTax Plans to Save Millions with Chatbots
Casey Phillips, a product manager at Intuit, delivered a compelling presentation on the implementation of AI and chatbots for TurboTax. He introduced the TurboTax digital assistant, designed to streamline the tax-filing process by automating customer support. This chatbot has significantly reduced support phone calls, increased engagement with self-help content, and improved product conversion rates. Phillips also discussed future enhancements, such as proactive support features and domain-specific intent matching.
3. Conversational Design Framework by Hans Van Damm
Hans Van Damm provided valuable insights into the fundamentals of conversational AI and design. He emphasized the importance of creating ideal conversations that meet user needs and business objectives. Van Damm introduced the concept of Conversational Design Intelligence (CDI), which combines conversation design principles with behavioral science. Key elements of CDI include social proof, anticipatory enthusiasm, expectation management, and a behavioral design toolkit, all aimed at guiding user behavior effectively.
Other Notable Sessions
Ecosystem Panel with Joseph Holguin from JustAnswer
How Google is Revolutionizing SMS by Rob Lawson
How Bots are Revolutionizing E-Commerce
UX Best Practices
The Rise of Conversational VoiceBots by Ricardo Garcia-Amaya from ILUMA
See full Agenda and Speakers here.
Featured Videos
For those who missed the conference or want to revisit these insightful talks, here are some featured videos from the event:
Let’s start with my welcoming talk
This is perhaps our First talk about NLG… This is where all of the Hype is now
Chatbots on Google Maps & Via Google Voice
5 Stage of NLU: One of our most Popular Talks
Chatbots Making into Retail:
Voice Bots as Assistants that can take notes…
Chatbots for Sales and Marketing
A look at the Chatbot Landscape back in 2019
Conversational UX Tips… Not as relavent today
More Sales & Marking
Future of Conversational AI
How to Launch a Bot Project
Insights on Designing for VOICE AI