Chatbots.org provides 7 suggested terms for adoption by the virtual assistant industry

Given the overabundance of terminology in the virtual assistants, chatbot and virtual agent industry, Chatbots.org, the leading business and research community in humanlike conversational AI, has provided 7 suggested terms that could be used to provide consistency.

A virtual assistant is an intelligent character on a website, in a game or in a smart phone app, which often looks like a 3D virtual human being. Although the virtual assistant industry is growing very fast, the terminology used is quite inconsistent and often confusing. Therefore, following their recently published list of 127 virtual assistant synonyms, Chatbots.org now suggests 7 excellent candidates which could be adopted by the industry.

Artificial Conversational Entity: One of the most precise synonyms ever defined, it is perfectly suitable to address intelligent virtual humans, as well as for other artificial living creatures such as virtual animals and aliens. Also, no other implications of this term are in use. The term is not particularly exciting, though, which might explain why it is still rarely used.

Embodied Conversational Agent: This term describes a visualised body with conversational skills. Etymological analysis on the word ‘agent’ suggests that users might expect the ECA to act upon their requests, instead of simply providing information. Like Artificial Conversational Entity, the term does not roll off the tongue, but it is well defined by academic researchers.

Virtual People: This term is the social variant of ‘virtual human’ and especially useful for dialogues with an immediate social context. For example, it may describe police officers who are being trained in virtual reality, holding a virtual small crime offender on the street, surrounded by virtual people, who are influencing the conversation.

Conversational Avatar: This term speaks for itself and is highly usable in the virtual assistant context. However, the word ‘avatar’ also has a deeply religious meaning, meaning ‘descent of a Hindu deity’. Also, it is often confused with the Steven Spielberg’s movie. Combined with ‘conversational’, however, and the meaning of the term becomes quite evident.

Virtual Person: This term is pretty straightforward. A few examples are found using a different meaning, such as the holographic projection of a virtual sales person in a store, without any option for interaction, but it is expected that these meanings will merge in the future.

3D Human: Used by graphic designers to indicate a computer generated image seemingly posessing an extra visible dimension, this term is highly descriptive nowadays, but risks becoming outdated in the near future. Furthermore, a 3d human is also often used to model body organs, bones and nerves, which might be confusing.

Brand Agent: A brand agent is defined as an artificial representative acting on behalf a company, product brand, or governmental organization. It is well defined and no other, significant meanings exist, so its popularity is growing.

Futurist Erwin Van Lun, CEO and Founder of Chatbots.org, says of the matter, “The terminology chaos regarding chat bots confuses potential clients, puzzles job seekers and is slowing down innovation. It’s time for the industry to take its responsibility and standardize terminology. Chatbots.org is happy to facilitate.”

Find out more about these and other synonyms used by the conversational artificial intelligence industry and researchers at:
http://www.chatbots.org/synonyms/

About Chatbots.org
Chatbots.org is the leading community on humanlike conversation artificial intelligence, such as a chat bot, virtual assistants, virtual humans and avatars. With more than 9,000 members, academics, businesses and individuals, it helps to advance the industry for all involved with virtual humans.

Join the community today by registering at:
http://www.chatbots.org/

For media contact, please contact:
Erwin Van Lun, CEO and founder,
Amsterdam, The Netherlands Tel: +316 21 567 657
Sydney, Australia Tel: +61 28007 4744
Email: mailto:erwinvl@chatbots.org
Blackthorn House
Northminster Business Park
York, YO26 6QW
United Kingdom

NewsCertain

Recent Posts

Pipar\TBWA Named Advertising Agency of the Year for the Second Consecutive Year

Reykjavík, Iceland, 13.03.2025 - PiparTBWA has been named Advertising Agency of the Year for the…

3 weeks ago

QUIRKY CAMPERS UNVEILS DEDICATED GLASTONBURY 2025 CAMPERVAN FLEET

London, UK – March 12, 2025 – Quirky Campers, the UK's leading platform for handcrafted…

3 weeks ago

eXo Platform Unveils Version 7.0: A Game-Changer for the Digital Workplace

Paris, March 11, 2025 – eXo Platform, a leading open-source provider of intranet and digital…

3 weeks ago

Sasa Software Appoints Udi Doenyas as New Chairman of the Board

Tel Aviv, March 11, 2025 – Sasa Software, a global leader in advanced cybersecurity solutions…

3 weeks ago

Leaders, influencers, and individuals worldwide walk backwards to highlight the need to move forwards for women‘s rights.

Global Regression in Women's Rights Sparks UN Women National Committees’ 'March Forward' Campaign. Fri, Mar…

3 weeks ago

Savox Communications Initiates Cooperation Deal with a Northern European Customer for Advanced Audio and Intercom Command System

[Helsinki, Finland – March 7, 2025] – Savox Communications, a global leader in mission-critical communications…

4 weeks ago