The 8 best chatbots of 2016
Wow, what a year! More than 34,000 bots have been built since Facebook Messenger opened its platform to bot developers back in April. Thousands more are probably being designed by inspired teams across the globe as I write these lines. Saying these numbers are mind-blowing would be an understatement. The tech industry’s enthusiasm for the bot space is simply unprecedented. Obviously, there have been a fair number of “fart bots” goofs — after all, we’re all trying to figure out the space and tinkering is the best way to do so — but it’s been interesting to witness the plethora of new ideas and business models emerging from the early trial-and-error days.
As we’re wrapping up this spectacular, hyperactive, and pivotal year, I’m trading my “maker” hat for the “judge” hat, trying to identify the Messenger bots of the year that will pave the way for the emergence of best practices for 2017 and beyond. Read full article.