What Are Smart Chatbots?
With the emergence of ChatGPT a few years ago, a new type of chatbot also appeared: smart chatbots.
These chatbots are, as you might imagine, quite advanced. ChatGPT itself, for example, is a chatbot. The engine behind ChatGPT is its Natural Language Processing model — GPT-4.
What smart chatbots deliver is a similar experience but more focused on specific objectives and results.
Today, we’re going to dive deeper into this topic. First, by understanding what “intelligence” really means in this context, and then exploring in depth what smart chatbots can deliver.
Ready? Let’s get started!
What is Intelligence in Smart Chatbots?

When most people refer to “smart chatbots,” they mean the chatbot’s ability to understand context and offer relevant responses.
This is only possible with Generative AI, which uses Natural Language Processing.
By the way, in the link above, we discuss more about what NLP is and which technologies use this system — definitely worth a read.
Before NLP, chatbots were limited to very specific inputs. For example, WhatsApp chatbots with menus and options: it’s only possible to continue the interaction if you do exactly what the chatbot asks.
In some situations, this is perfectly fine. A more complex interaction isn’t needed.
But in others, smart chatbots add great value to customer service, even being able to resolve some less complicated issues.
Think of an e-commerce site, for example. A smart chatbot installed on a product page knows everything about that product. Any question you ask about the product, the chatbot can answer.
In other words: there’s no need to select an option or anything like that. The chatbot simply responds to any questions the user has.
This can be applied to individual pages, category pages, the homepage — practically anywhere on your site.
The responses a chatbot can give depend on a few characteristics that smart chatbots have.
Let’s explore these characteristics in more detail in the section below. Follow along:
What are the Characteristics of Smart Chatbots?

At the same time, it’s also important to understand that smart chatbots have varying “levels” of intelligence.
These levels are actually determined by a few characteristics of the tool and the context in which it’s used.
For example, the maximum capability someone can achieve with the free version of ChatGPT is different from what can be achieved with the paid version.
And even within the free version of ChatGPT, your initial searches will be a preview, almost a free trial, of its paid version.
If you access ChatGPT’s search engine, you’ll interact differently with the AI and get different results.
In this section, we’ll dive deeper into these characteristics and contexts to understand what truly qualifies as an smart chatbot.
But let’s step away from the theory. We’re thinking about smart chatbots applied to your website’s context.
Let’s go:
Access to Your Database
The most important thing for a smart chatbot is the ability to access your database.
This database can come in many forms.
The smart chatbot needs to be able to understand at least one type of information, store it, and provide appropriate responses to queries.
For example, if you work in e-commerce, the smart chatbot needs to at least understand the products you sell on your site.
In this case, it needs to be fed a SKU spreadsheet to get this data.
But that’s a simpler example.
Smart customer service chatbots, for example, usually understand your database in a more complex way — knowing your stock levels, resolution policies, integration with logistics systems for package tracking, etc.
This integration is fundamental because, without it, even if the chatbot has the ability to communicate, it doesn’t have the information to respond accurately.
It’s like building a reception area without hiring receptionists. Buying a computer and installing Photoshop, but not hiring a designer.
This is the most fundamental feature that all smart chatbots should have. But there’s another important one:
Natural Conversation
A smart chatbot won’t present multiple options for continuing the conversation — it will always respond in a natural conversation flow.
As we’ve seen so far, most chatbots today follow a very simple interaction pattern: select an option in this menu to open another menu. Then select the next option. And so on.
A smart chatbot can hold a conversation in the same way a human would — with natural flow, context, and relevant information.
This is the “holy trinity” of smart chatbots. Natural conversation is enabled through the chosen NLP model.
Today, the vast majority of smart chatbots are built with OpenAI’s GPT-4. But other AI systems, created by different labs, are also in use.
The popularity of ChatGPT is undeniable, largely because of its business model. Other AIs tend to be proprietary. That’s the case with Gemini, for example — Google’s AI, which only works within Google.
In the article below, we go in-depth into the types of AI and existing tools. Check it out for more details:
➡️ 21 AI Apps for Mobile and Desktop
Integrations with Other Tools
A critical component of smart chatbots is their ability to integrate with other tools to become even more intelligent.
Analyzing your company’s database only goes so far. There’s information that may not be in a single, unified database.
For example, all information on tickets opened by customers. Integrating this information into a unified database requires constant list generation and exportation since requests are opened in real time.
In this case, an integration with the ticketing system solves the problem.
The integrations are numerous — we’re living in the golden age of APIs. There’s an abundance of applications that can communicate with each other without major issues.

Human Oversight Capability
Generative AI is indeed incredible, but it’s not miraculous.
And more than that: it’s an advanced technology, somewhat beyond the typical functions we’re used to in marketing.
This leads to a challenge we discussed earlier. Most AIs have issues with integration, which makes interactions a bit harder.
Smart chatbots often offer human support when needed. Typically, these are complete service chatbots that blend AI and human agents in all interactions.
If the AI can resolve the issue, great! If not, a human agent is called in to provide more direct, contextual support.
This is actually preferred by most users: addressing simpler questions with AI but having the assurance that a human agent is ready if needed.
Extra Personalization and Analysis Features
Smart chatbots also go beyond in public interaction.
First, personalization. It’s essential that chatbots communicate in the company’s tone, as they represent the company directly.
In fact, when a smart chatbot is installed on your site, it’s the primary communication channel between the company and users during site navigation.
Of course, there are social media, sales reps, etc. But chatbots serve as the direct link between potential customers (or leads) and the brand on the site.
For this reason, smart chatbots must be customizable and capable of direct analysis.
Analytics are crucial. Chatbots need to provide a dashboard where interaction and engagement metrics can be reviewed and understood.
The customization of chatbot tone is gradually developing. But there are already customer service tools that do this very well.
In the article below, we list the best smart chatbot tools for customer service. Check it out:
➡️ The 26 Best Chatbots for 2024
Where and How Should Smart Chatbots Be Used?

You likely already know the answer to “where”: smart chatbots should be used across your entire site, right?
That’s their main premise. Wherever users can be engaged on your site, chatbots are well-suited and recommended for installation.
But how exactly should you approach this aspect? What should you do, in practice, to ensure that smart chatbots are used correctly?
There are some considerations to keep in mind with each use of a chatbot, and also for each type of site.
Let’s address these issues in this section, understanding which parts of the site chatbots absolutely need to be on, and what they need to offer on each of these pages.
Let’s dive in:
On the Homepage
On the homepage, it’s beneficial for your chatbot to be proactive in lead generation.
In this case, a support chatbot isn’t the main need.
You’ll notice, in fact, that most sites use simple chatbots on the homepage, aimed at offering products or conversion-oriented materials.
These are lead-generation chatbots, one of our specialties here at Leadster.
This is a matter of usability and user experience — UX. Many sites reserve smart chatbot support for specific locations, such as the contact page.
Providing support immediately upon opening the site can be useful, but the proactive approach of the chatbot ends up taking a back seat in such cases.
For example: you’ve just accessed a site, and the chatbot immediately appears in the corner. What will it ask you if it’s offering support?
Something like “Can I help you with something?” That doesn’t work well, as it’s somewhat redundant. There are spaces on the site intended for when users have questions or need more specific support.
And with a lead-generation chatbot working on your homepage, you can generate leads passively and automatically. With a support chatbot in the same spot, you aren’t gaining much — immediate support doesn’t score many points for you.
On the Contact and Support Page
Here, a support chatbot is essential.
If your primary need is to offer support to your site’s users, this is where you’ll place the smart chatbot. And it needs to have specific characteristics.
The first is a deep understanding of your customer database — information related to them, like the example we mentioned with tickets, etc.
It’s also extremely important that the smart chatbot on the contact and support page offers a transition to human support.
Let’s think practically. The brands that have always provided this type of support are the biggest in the market.
Banks, for example, have been offering something similar for some time, with smart chatbots that understand customer needs and transfer them to a human agent.
Now, with AI, we have a new possibility — the democratization of this type of support.
Today, Zendesk is leading this work. Its software provides AI-powered support with access to your database and a transition to human agents. It’s worth checking out!
On Product and Category Pages
Smart chatbots on product and category pages in e-commerce are essential for sales.
In this case, e-commerce functions best when equipped with information you can feed into it from your own database.
In other words: the more organized your product base, the better the smart chatbots will be for e-commerce.
The main feature of a product chatbot is providing detailed information about what is being sold and the sale process itself.
For example: someone asks, “What are the product dimensions?” and the chatbot can read the product description on the page (no need for a separate database just for this) and provide an instant answer.
Believe it or not, questions like this, even when the information is described on the product page, can lead to lost sales if left unanswered.
Another simple example: “How long will the product take to arrive, and what is the shipping cost?”
The smart chatbot can respond by asking for the postal code to calculate the cost or directing users to where they can calculate it on the page.
Get a Smart Chatbot on Your Site Today
Everything we’ve discussed isn’t beyond your reach.
In fact, here at Leadster, we even offer smart chatbots that can be installed on any part of your site.
The process is straightforward: it reads the information on the page where it’s installed and can respond to any user questions about it.
Additionally, it also helps you create your product and category descriptions in e-commerce. You feed the chatbot with the product’s technical specifications, and it takes care of the rest.
Try it today. It’s free for 14 days, and installation takes less than 10 minutes. Just click on the banner below to get started.
Thanks for reading, and see you in the next article!
