In plain language
It answers questions or completes simple tasks in a chat window, often before handing off to a person.
Example
A website chatbot answers pricing questions from the help center and books a call when a visitor asks for a human.
Related terms
Large Language Model (LLM) · Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) · Human-in-the-Loop · Guardrails
Common misconception
An AI chatbot does not automatically know your business; it needs approved content, limits, and a path to a person.
Implementation guidance
Ground answers in approved content, make handoff to a person easy, disclose that it is automated, and review conversations to improve answers.