Throwback Thursday: The Shift From Search to Cognitive Interaction

Long ago before Virtual Agents existed,

People were forced to use search engines with no diagnostic features,

No interactive component,

Photo credit: money.cnn.com

And no escalate to contact options. 

How many people remember "Ask Jeeves”? How about Clippy, the Question and Answer, animated paper clip at the bottom of a PC? These search engines have been around for quite some time. Before Virtual Agents, these popular tools were cutting edge. Today, the end user requires the interactive element that Virtual Agents possess. Companies are realizing the importance of implementing a diagnostic and interactive approach.

Photo credit: Wayback Machine

Transforming automated support into a cognitive interaction has always been the basis of noHold's technology. The use of a Natural Language Processor (NLP) coupled with an Inference Engine (IE) allows our Virtual Agents to interpret end-users words and drive a conversation instead of a simplistic question and answer session.

Unlike a typical search, Virtual Agents also have the capability to seamlessly activate another Virtual Agent.  Back in 2011, we discussed “A.I. vs. A.I.: The Need for Virtual Assistants to 'Talk' to Each Other.” On a lighter note, here is a funny video of two chatbots talking to each other courtesy of  CornellCCSL.

Fast forward to today, it is more important than ever for Artificial Intelligence (AI) to be interactive and diagnostic, as well as to "communicate" with other AI. With so many things connected to the Internet, the human experience is key. 

What do you think? Tell us if you believe that a typical search will become a cognitive interaction.  

Happy Throwback Thursday!