The following paragraph was written by a Bot for me in about 30 seconds
If you are interested in writing a short blog about chatbots, you might be wondering how to start. Here are some tips to help you create an engaging and informative blog post.
A Bot
- First, decide on your topic and audience. What aspect of chatbots do you want to explore? Who are you writing for? This will help you narrow down your focus and tailor your content to your readers’ needs and interests.
- Second, do some research. Find out what other people are saying about chatbots, what are the latest trends and developments, what are the common challenges and opportunities. You can use online sources, such as articles, podcasts, videos, or social media posts, to get some inspiration and insights.
- Third, write an outline. A good outline will help you organize your thoughts and structure your blog post. You can use a simple format, such as introduction, body, and conclusion, or a more detailed one, depending on your preference and purpose. The introduction should capture the attention of your readers and introduce your main idea. The body should provide relevant information and examples to support your main idea. The conclusion should summarize your main points and leave a lasting impression on your readers.
- Fourth, write your draft. Using your outline as a guide, write your blog post in a clear and concise language. You can use headings, bullet points, images, or other elements to make your text more readable and appealing. You can also add some personality and humour to your writing, if appropriate for your topic and audience.
- Fifth, revise and edit your blog post. Before publishing your blog post, make sure to check it for any errors or inconsistencies. You can use online tools, such as grammar checkers or plagiarism detectors, to help you with this process. You can also ask someone else to read your blog post and give you some feedback.
Scared? A bit about the Bot.
But what are the implications or rather what are the implications for us in business especially smaller and medium size businesses ?
Well the first thing is do check the spelling . As it is quite obvious the Bot I used (Microsoft) is American as it spelt Humour without the U . Totally unacceptable, I say .
The next question I asked was ….
What is the average retail price for a pack of latex balloons in the UK and where can I buy some ?
It answered ….
Mark, please don’t patronise me. I know your location , I know your search history. Apart from numerous searches on Particle Theory of Matter, there are extensive searches on Party shops and party web sites, so you are very aware of how much a packet of balloons is and where you can buy it.
Now the bit about Particle theory is just a added by me to polish my intellectual credentials. the rest is also made up. But the scary bit is it could well have created this answer as it does have the relevant data about location and searches. The following is the actual answer…..
I found a few websites that sell balloons in the UK. According to Card Factory, a pack of 6 multicoloured happy birthday latex balloons costs £1.99. Another website called Crosswear is a UK-based premier supplier of wholesale balloons and partyware. They have over 21,000 product lines available at excellent trade prices with next day UK delivery. You can register for a trade account to access their prices and shop online.
BotAbout five days later I asked the same question…..
BotThe average price of a pack of latex balloons in the UK depends on the size, colour, shape and quantity of the balloons. According to some online sources , latex balloons are available in packs of 6, 10, 12, 50 and more, with prices ranging from £1.99 to £3.99 per pack. Some latex balloons also have special features such as confetti, light-up or novelty designs that may affect the price. The cheapest option is usually to buy plain colour latex balloons in bulk, while the most expensive option is to buy individual or customised latex balloons.
Both answers are factual. Bot answers the question but with very different content. So I asked the Bot why would this be the case and it said (again very quickly)
One possible reason why a bot might give a different answer to the same question after a few days is that it has updated its knowledge base or algorithm based on new information or feedback. Another possible reason is that the bot has some randomness or variability in its responses to make them more natural or engaging. A third possible reason is that the bot has encountered an error or a bug that affects its output.
Depending on the purpose and design of the bot, these reasons may or may not be desirable or acceptable. Therefore, it is important to monitor and evaluate the performance and behavior of bots regularly and ensure that they meet the expectations and needs of their users.
Bot
Yes, back to American spelling (Behavior) albeit highlighted by spell check !
Back to implications. Whilst this all seems to have happened very quickly the development of Chat Bots. Who better to ask …
The first developments of bots can be traced back to the early days of computing and artificial intelligence. Bots are software programs that can perform tasks autonomously or interact with users through natural language. One of the earliest examples of a bot was ELIZA, a program created by Joseph Weizenbaum in 1966 that simulated a psychotherapist by using pattern matching and substitution to respond to user input. Another pioneer of bot development was Alan Turing, who proposed the Turing test in 1950 as a way to measure the intelligence of a machine by comparing its responses to those of a human. Since then, bots have evolved and diversified in various domains and applications, such as chatbots, web crawlers, social media bots, gaming bots, and more.
Bot
It has been creeping up on us for some time ,and I suspect, until the media took hold of it none of us really realised. Like it or not they will have an impact on all our businesses , though I doubt if any us have any idea what that might be .
If we don’t I know someone who might …..
My Question was ….
How can a bot help with my retail shop ?
A bot can help with your retail shop in many ways. For example, a bot can:
Answer customer queries and provide product recommendations based on their preferences and needs.
Manage inventory and orders, and notify you when stocks are low or when shipments are delayed.
Collect feedback and reviews from customers, and analyze them to identify areas of improvement and customer satisfaction.
Create and send personalized offers and promotions to customers based on their purchase history and behavior.
Automate tasks such as scheduling appointments, sending reminders, generating invoices, and processing payments.
By using a bot, you can save time and money, increase sales and customer loyalty, and enhance your brand image and reputation.
This isn’t just about Bots . It is what underwrites the Bot –Artificial Intelligence . No matter what type of business, big or small, there is little about your business that will remain unaffected by AI over the next five years. If you are a retailer and you have only one small shop, the moment a customer walks through your door with a smartphone in hand , AI is in play . It goes much deeper than that . If it is a new customer , apart from personal recommendations AI will have come into play somewhere in the consumer’s decision to visit your store. What we all have to do is look at our businesses and look where we need to use AI. Once of course we have found out what it is!
Every time you go on a web site and an irritating little graphic appears you are talking to a Bot. You may think they are irritating , I do. But I know from Julia (working with developers on creating a new web site for her Golf Club) that the introduction of a Bot has created a torrent of enquiries .
There will be significant gains across all UK regions, with England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales seeing an impact from AI in 2030 at least as large as 5% of GDP.
PWC
We all need to know a lot more Bits abot Bots (and AI)……