Chatbot

A chatbot receives messages and returns responses turn by turn. Classic versions make decisions through if-this-then-that trees, while modern bots are powered by large language models that can generate flexible responses within a context window.

A chatbot does not automatically equal an AI agent: agents typically plan multiple steps, use tools, and continue toward a goal. Products like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini often combine both ideas.

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Key characteristics

• Is a conversational interface that can be rule-based or language-model-powered.
• Works well for support, FAQs, internal help, and flows where dialogue is natural.
• Is not automatically an agent, since many chatbots only respond without planning or acting further.