I see chat bots… they’re everywhere!
I went to the Apple Store today to have my iPhone checked out and when I went to the Genius bar, they asked for my contact info including my phone number. The guy proceeded to tell me I would get three text messages. An initial one that I’d get right now, then one when it’s close to when my appointment will be and then a final one to tell me to come up to the counter.
It may seem mundane, but that is a chat bot!
Another one I run into frequently is when I make a dinner reservation at Rintaro (a great Japanese Izakaya restaurant in the Mission). It also asks for my cell phone number, but it does not send me anything initially. On the day of the reservation, it sends me a text message at noon reminding me of my reservation later that night and asks me to confirm that I will still be going.
Then about an hour before, it texts me again and sends along a “protip” on a suggestion of what to order.
Another chat bot!
And there are many others like from your credit company, reminding you that your payment is due.
The “bank bot” even have commands get balance, history, and other info.
Another is from your cell phone carrier telling you that you are about to go over your data limit and asks whether you would like to increase your monthly bandwidth limit.
Again, these are very simple examples, but it gives you a hint about how chat bots can start to invade our lives without us even knowing it. If these became more sophisticated and more companies started to engage their customers in this way, you could see where it could potentially go for better or for worse.
Soon we may need “bot” blockers on our smart phones. 😉
