Top chatbots and voice assistants you should know

Which Chatbots and Voice Assistants Are Out There?

A chatbot is a dialog system that enables interaction between humans and machines. Users can exchange information or give instructions, often through software that uses artificial intelligence to process inputs.

Chatbots are used in both personal and professional environments. Depending on the context, they fall into one of two categories: business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-customer (B2C). In this article, we’ll introduce some well-known chatbots and voice assistants from both sectors.

B2B Chatbots

Chatbot communication in the B2B sector is still relatively underdeveloped. Most business interactions between companies are still handled by people, usually in written, digital formats like email or chat.

However, B2B companies have much to gain from implementing chatbots: they can reduce workload on staff, improve availability, and enhance service quality. These tools offer scalable ways to streamline internal processes or support customer interactions — particularly when integrated with existing systems like CRMs or help desks.

B2C Chatbots

In contrast, B2C chatbots are already well established. Most consumers are familiar with virtual assistants on smartphones or have interacted with a chatbot while browsing online.

These assistants are designed to quickly assess the customer's needs and ideally resolve them on the spot. If the chatbot reaches its limit, the conversation is escalated to a human agent. This approach reduces staffing requirements while simultaneously raising the level of customer service.

Do You Know These Voice Assistants?

Alexa

Alexa is Amazon’s voice assistant, typically used with devices like the Amazon Echo. Users can retrieve news, set timers, or control smart home devices. Alexa can also be extended with third-party “skills” to enable features like online shopping and more.

Siri

Siri is Apple’s virtual assistant, primarily used to control iPhones. It allows hands-free operation and gives users access to nearly all phone functions. Siri is available across all Apple devices and is a key feature in Apple’s ecosystem.

Cortana

Cortana is Microsoft’s virtual assistant for Windows. It supports both voice and text input, and can perform tasks such as internet searches, news updates, and weather forecasts — all of which can be read aloud to the user.

Google Assistant

Google Assistant is available on both Android and iOS devices. It integrates with Google services, allowing users to control apps like Google Maps, Calendar, Gmail, and more via voice.

Sally

Sally is a voice assistant designed for business use. Tailored for enterprise environments, Sally can integrate with systems like CRMs to help employees perform tasks more efficiently. For instance, users can search for customer data or input order details via voice commands, making day-to-day work faster and more intuitive.