AI Support & Agents

Chatbot

Definition

A chatbot is a software program that simulates conversation with users through text, ranging from simple rule-based scripts that follow decision trees to AI-powered bots that understand natural language.

Also known as: botchat botsupport bot

How it works

Rule-based chatbots follow predefined flows: they match keywords or button choices to scripted responses and can't handle anything outside their tree. AI chatbots use natural language processing — often a large language model — to interpret free-form messages and generate replies.

The key limitation of a traditional chatbot is that it answers and stops. It doesn't look up live data or take actions, which is the line that separates a chatbot from an AI agent.

Why it matters for support

Chatbots were the first wave of support automation and are still useful for deflecting FAQs. But teams increasingly move from scripted chatbots to AI agents that can resolve tickets, because a bot that only answers still leaves the actual work to a human.

Frequently asked

What is the difference between a chatbot and an AI agent?

A chatbot returns answers; an AI agent also plans and takes actions — calling tools, updating records, resolving requests end to end. Every AI agent can chat, but not every chatbot can act.

Are chatbots being replaced by AI agents?

For complex support, largely yes. Simple FAQ chatbots still have a role, but AI agents that resolve tasks (not just answer) are the direction most support teams are moving.

Related terms

AI Agent

An AI agent is a software system that uses a language model to understand a request, decide what to do, and take actions — calling tools, retrieving data, and completing tasks — rather than just returning a single scripted answer..

Conversational AI

Conversational AI is technology that lets people interact with software through natural back-and-forth dialogue — understanding intent, maintaining context across turns, and responding in natural language via chat or voice..

AI Agent vs Chatbot

The difference between an AI agent and a chatbot is that a chatbot answers questions with scripted or generated replies, while an AI agent can reason, use tools, and take actions to resolve a request end to end rather than just responding..

Virtual Agent

A virtual agent is an AI-powered system that interacts with customers on its own to answer questions and resolve requests, functioning as an automated stand-in for a human support agent..

Answer Bot

An answer bot is an automated assistant that suggests or delivers relevant help-center articles and answers to customer questions, aiming to resolve common queries through self-service before a human agent gets involved..

Put these ideas to work

Macha is an AI agent layer that sits on top of the help desk you already run — Zendesk, Freshdesk, Front, Intercom, or Gorgias.

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