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Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 197 (from laksa151)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa197.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://botpress.com/blog/nlp-chatbot\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://botpress.com/blog/nlp-chatbot\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/nlp-chatbot","crawl_time":1774972473,"first_indexed_time":1607979062,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,botpress!\/blog\/nlp-chatbot s443","src_root_hash":"7236577996605953997","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"The Ultimate Guide to NLP Chatbots in 2026","meta_descriptions":["Learn everything you need to know about NLP chatbots, including how they differ from rule-based chatbots, use cases, and how to build a custom NLP chatbot."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Traditional chatbots were once the bane of our existence – but these days, most are NLP chatbots, able to understand and conduct complex conversations with their users.\nNLP chatbots are powered by AI, allowing them to conduct flexible conversations in pursuit of a goal – like selling a product or troubleshooting a technical solution – instead of a brittle questionnaire style of interaction.\nIn this article, I'll cover everything you need to know about natural language processing\nAI chatbots\n, including:\nNLP chatbots vs. rule-based chatbots\nCommon NLP terms\nBenefits of NLP chatbots\nCommon use cases\nHow to build your own NLP chatbot\nWhat is an NLP chatbot?\nA\nnatural language processing\n(NLP) chatbot is an AI-powered conversational software designed to mimic human-like conversations with users.\nNLP chatbots can be text-based or voice-based.\nThey use NLP to understand the intent of a message, extract necessary information, and generate a helpful response.\nMany NLP chatbots are\nLLM agents\n: software powered by LLMs, but customized by a builder.\nBy using LLMs like OpenAI's GPT, it's easier thank you might think to biuld your own\nGPT chatbot\n.\nCreate NLP Chatbots\nBuild custom NLP chatbots\nStart now\nWhat’s the difference between an NLP chatbot and a rule-based chatbot?\nNLP chatbots use AI to mimic human conversation. Traditional chatbots – also known as rule-based chatbots – don't use AI, so their interactions are less flexible.\nRule-based chatbots are designed to strictly follow conversational rules set up by their creator.\nIf a user inputs a specific command, a rule-based chatbot will churn out a preformed response.\nBut any user query that falls outside of these rules will be unable to be answered by the rule-based chatbot.\nNLP chatbots understand natural language\nNLP chatbots can, of course, understand and interpret natural language.\nA user can send a message as though they were communicating with another human, and an NLP chatbot can decipher its meaning.\nThat includes:\nUnderstanding spelling and grammatical mistakes\nDetermining whether a message is a question or an intention\nRegistering a user’s emotion based on their language\nThis brings NLP chatbots far closer to the realm of natural human interaction. A rule-based chatbot can only respond accurately to a set number of commands.\nNLP chatbots facilitate conversations, not just questionnaires\nIf a chatbot user interacts with a rule-based chatbot, any unexpected input leads to a conversational dead end.\nBecause of their strict programming, conversations with rule-based chatbots often feel like questionnaires: How can I help you today? Which model are you interested in? What is your budget?\nRule-based chatbots can often be replaced with a well-documented FAQ page. But since an NLP chatbot can adapt to conversational cues, it can hold a full, complex conversation with users.\nDeploying AI Agents?\nRead our Blueprint for AI Agent Implementation\nRead Now\nNLP chatbots continuously improve\nThe only way for a rule-based chatbot to improve is for a programmer to add more rules.\nBut an NLP chatbot will improve using the data provided by its users.\nThe ability to improve makes an NLP chatbot better at understanding different ways to formulate questions or intent.\nThe more conversations it holds with users, the better its gets at understanding questions and holding a conversation.\nNLP, NLU, and NLG, oh my!\nUnderstanding NLP chatbots comes with an arsenal of acronyms. Though they’re all related, each refers to a specific aspect of communication between machines and humans.\nNatural language processing\nThe broadest term, natural language processing (NLP), is a branch of AI that focuses on the natural language interactions between machines and humans.\nNLP aims to enable machines to interpret and respond to human language in a way that is meaningful and useful.\nWhen referring to NLP, it\nincludes the subfields\nof NLU and NLG.\nNatural language understanding\nNatural language understanding\n(NLU) is a subfield of NLP.\nNLU focuses on the machine’s ability to understand the intent behind human input.\nNLU includes tasks like intent recognition, entity extractions, and sentiment analysis – components that allow a software to understand the text given to it by a human.\nNatural language generation\nNatural language generation (NLG) is another subfield of NLP.\nIt focuses on making the machine’s response as coherent and contextually appropriate as possible.\nNLG involves content determination (deciding how to respond to a query), sentence planning, and generating the final text output from the software.\nBenefits of an NLP Chatbot\nEmployee support\nWhen an organization uses an NLP chatbot, they’re able to automate tasks that would otherwise be handled by employees.\nA chatbot might take customer support calls, schedule meetings, or conduct analyses and then deliver the results in a report.\nWhen employees spend less time on repetitive tasks, they’re able to focus more of their time on high-level processes – ones that require higher levels of strategy, empathy, or creativity.\nFree translation\nAn NLP chatbot’s language capabilities include translation, allowing organizations to serve users in any language at no extra cost.\nNLP chatbots are typically powered by large language models (LLMs), which can function across languages. ChatGPT alone can be\nused in over 80 different languages\n.\nWhen bot builders use a platform to build AI chatbots, they can also build in bespoke translation capabilities.\n24\/7 support\nOne of the benefits of any chatbot is its full-time availability.\nSince NLP chatbots can handle many interactions from start to finish, employees aren’t always needed to assist in individual inquiries.\nSince an enterprise chatbot is always alive, that means companies can build lists of leads or service customers at any time of day.\nScalability\nBy taking over the bulk of user conversations, NLP chatbots allow companies to scale to a degree that would be impossible when relying on employees.\nNLP chatbots can handle a large number of simultaneous inquiries, speed up processes, and reliably complete a wide range of tasks.\nWhen aiming to scale an enterprise, AI automation is a necessity.\nIntegration capabilities\nPeter Gentsch, an AI professor, notes in his book\nAI in Marketing, Sales and Service\n: \"To the user, chatbots seem to be “intelligent” due to their informative skills. However, chatbots are only as intelligent as the underlying database.\"\nTo build the highest-value chatbot, it should be integrated with a company’s existing systems and platforms.\nAn NLP chatbot is endlessly more useful if it’s able to take action into systems: updating a CRM, sending an email, notifying an employee.\nThis type of seamless integration into existing business processes requires a) developers to build these integrations between their chatbots and their systems, or b) the use of chatbot platforms that provide built-in integrations to common platforms.\nReduced costs\nCompanies using AI report a\n52% reduction\nin labor costs.\nThe cost-effectiveness of NLP chatbots is one of their leading benefits – they empower companies to build their operations without ballooning costs.\nWhen properly implemented, automating conversational tasks through an NLP chatbot will always lead to a positive ROI, no matter the use case.\nBest Use Cases of NLP Chatbots\nBecause of their flexible nature, NLP chatbots can be used in a wide variety of use cases, from\nenterprise chatbots\nto\nsmall business AI agents\n. You can find NLP chatbots used in:\nFinancial services\nReal estate\nEducation\nHotels\nand\nrestaurants\nHealthcare\n \nInsurance\nAirlines\nGovernment\n \nBut thanks to their conversational flexibility, NLP chatbots can be applied in any conversational context. They can be customized to run a D&D role-playing game, help with math homework, or act as a tour guide.\nCustomer support chatbots\nOne of the first widely adopted use cases for chatbots was\ncustomer support bots\n.\nAnd they're still growing in popularity. In fact,\n83% of decision makers\nsay they plan to\nincrease\ntheir investment in AI for customer service over the next year.\nCustomer support is a natural use case for NLP chatbots, with their 24\/7 and multilingual service.\nSince the days of traditional rule-based chatbots, customer support teams have offloaded the simplest calls to chatbots.\nWith the introduction of NLP chatbots, AI automation can take care of increasingly complex customer queries, from purchasing assistance to troubleshooting technical difficulties.\nLead generation chatbots\nMany use cases for NLP chatbots exist within an\nAI-enhanced sales funnel\n, including lead qualification and\nAI lead generation\n.\nNLP chatbots are perfectly suited for lead gen, given the vast volumes of qualifying conversations that sales and marketing teams must sort through.\nA chatbot can interact with website visitors, or send messages to contacts by email or other messaging channels.\nTo reach their full potential, NLP chatbots should be integrated with any relevant internal systems.\nA lead gen chatbot needs to be integrated with a company’s CRM, calendar booking system (like Calendly), and deployed across the most appropriate messaging channels (email, website, or channels like\nWhatsApp\n).\nInternal employee chatbots\nWhile most NLP chatbots are customer-facing, there are a growing number of enterprises adopting NLP chatbots for internal processes.\nThese can include\nHR\n, IT support, or assistance with internal tasks like documentation.\nThese types of chatbots are most common amongst enterprises with large numbers of employees.\nHow to Build an NLP Chatbot in 5 Steps\nWhile developers can build their own NLP chatbots from scratch, most organizations will use a chatbot platform to build their AI chatbots.\nA platform allows your team to\nbuild a custom chatbot\nwith the support of built-in integrations, added security, and pre-built features.\nHere’s the step-by-step guide to building your own NLP chatbot:\nStep 1: Pick a platform\nPlenty of enterprises that decided to build their own NLP chatbot from scratch.\nIt can be an appealing choice: full reigns, blank slate, no monthly subscription fee. But few undertake this path for long.\nBuilding from scratch is time- and labor-intensive. Plus, it means your chatbot will take much longer to build or be much lower quality – or both.\nAs you pick a platform, keep in mind your company’s unique needs.\nIf you want a platform that doesn’t limit the possibilities of your chatbot, look for an enterprise chatbot platform that has open standards and an extensible stack.\nIf data privacy is your biggest concern, look for a platform that boasts high security standards.\nIf you have a beginner developer team, look for a platform with a user-friendly interface.\nIf you need some inspiration, you can browse our list of\nthe best chatbot platforms\n.\nAnd if you’re interested in taking a call tomorrow, you can\nreach out to our sales team\n.\nStep 2: Collect your data\nIf you’re looking to train your chatbot on company information – like HR policies, or customer support transcripts – you’ll need to collect the information you want your chatbot to train on.\nNot every enterprise uses original data to train a chatbot. Often, advanced prompting is sufficient to design your chatbot’s flows.\nBut if you want a chatbot that takes an extra step to customize your company’s offering, then collecting data and using it to train your chatbot is one way to do it.\nStep 3: Build your chatbot\nWhen you pick your chatbot platform, make sure you choose one that comes with enough educational materials to assist your team throughout the build process.\nFor example, we offer\nacademy courses\n, daily livestreams, and an extensive collection of YouTube tutorials.\nBot building can be a difficult task when you’re facing the learning curve – having resources at your fingertips makes the process go far smoother than without.\nAnd if your team is new to bot building, most enterprise chatbot platforms have a drag-and-drop visual flow builder that allows for easy visualization of your workflows.\nStep 4: Integrate and customize\nChatbots don’t exist in a vacuum. Their purpose isn’t just customer interactions or explaining one set of policies.\nThe most useful NLP chatbots for enterprise are integrated across your company’s systems and platforms.\nThis might mean tables and documents, your website, or other third-party services – think platforms like Hubspot, AWS, Google Analytics, Intercom, Calendly, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Stripe, Mixpanel, Telegram, WhatsApp, or Zendesk.\nIf you use an AI chatbot platform, most of your team’s building time will be spent on perfecting your bot’s integrations, rather than building the chatbot itself.\nAnd if you pick a strong platform, it will allow you to customize your chatbot in tone and personality.\nYou won’t need to select specific words, but you can direct when your chatbot should speak apologetically, or what type of language it should use to describe your products.\nStep 5: Deploy\nOne of the best aspects of a chatbot is that it can easily be deployed across any platform or messaging channel.\nMany enterprises choose to deploy a chatbot not just on their website, but on their social media channels or internal messaging platforms.\nNLP chatbots are a streamlined way to action a successful omnichannel strategy.\nYour users can experience the same service across multiple channels, and receive platform-specific help.\nFor example, a customer communication coming from a\nWhatsApp chatbot\ncan ask to change their password on your internal system.\nDeploy a custom NLP chatbot next month\nThe companies that survive the next 5 years will be AI-enhanced.\nNLP chatbots allow enterprises to scale their business processes with a cost-effectiveness that was previously impossible.\nBotpress allows companies to build customized, LLM-powered chatbots and AI agents. Our agents are deployed across any use case and integrated with any system or channel.\n‍\nStart building today.\nIt’s free.\nOr\ncontact our sales team\nto learn more.\nCreate NLP Chatbots\nBuild custom NLP chatbots\nStart now\nFAQs\n1. What criteria should I use to evaluate NLP chatbot platforms?\nTo evaluate NLP chatbot platforms, focus on core factors like ease of use (for both technical and non-technical users), support for large language models (LLMs), integration options with your existing systems (e.g., CRMs or APIs), scalability, multilingual NLU, and customization flexibility. Documentation and active support are also critical for success.\n2. What are the most common integration challenges with NLP chatbots?\nThe most common integration challenges with NLP chatbots include connecting to legacy systems that lack modern APIs and managing changes in backend systems that can break flows. Additionally, authentication and data consistency across platforms complicates integrations.\n3. How do open-source platforms compare with commercial ones for NLP chatbot development?\nOpen-source NLP chatbot platforms offer full control, making them ideal for developers who need to customize. However, they often lack the ease-of-use, ready-made integrations, managed hosting, and enterprise support that commercial platforms provide, making commercial options faster for teams with limited engineering resources.\n4. Can I switch platforms after I’ve already built a chatbot?\nYes, you can switch chatbot platforms after building one, but it involves re-creating conversation flows, re-integrating backend systems, and migrating training data and user memory. While technically feasible, the process requires planning, and it's important to evaluate the new platform's feature set to avoid regression in capability.\n5. How do NLP chatbots ensure user data privacy?\nNLP chatbots ensure user data privacy by encrypting data in transit and at rest and providing granular controls over data storage and retention. The best platforms are compliant with data protection regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or CCPA and allow you to configure consent handling and access logs.","attrs_markdown":"Platform\n\nFeatures\n\n[Agent Studio Build and customize your agent rapidly](https:\/\/botpress.com\/features\/ai-agent-studio)\n\n[Autonomous Engine Use LLMs to guide conversations and tasks](https:\/\/botpress.com\/features\/autonomous)\n\n[Knowledge Bases Train your bot with custom knowledge sources](https:\/\/botpress.com\/features\/knowledge-bases)\n\n[Human Handoff Manage conversations with human involvement](https:\/\/botpress.com\/features\/human-handoff)\n\n[Tables Store and manage conversation data](https:\/\/botpress.com\/features\/tables)\n\nChannels\n\n[![Whatsapp Emblem](https:\/\/cdn.prod.website-files.com\/635c4eeb78332f7971255095\/63d7f45fde2c90121a9d4d68_whatsapp.svg)WhatsApp](https:\/\/botpress.com\/integrations\/whatsapp)\n\n[![Instagram 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free](https:\/\/sso.botpress.cloud\/registration)\n\n![Ven diagram with a pattern behind it](https:\/\/cdn.prod.website-files.com\/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9\/686c2ae253d02a4deb72bee1_nlp-chatbot.png)![](https:\/\/cdn.prod.website-files.com\/635c4eeb78332f7971255095\/68484e44bfb08fa19dc54a63_bb35aaad1686b4c9a4ff9d2f0a6b09ac_blog_placeholder.jpg)\n\n[AI Basics](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog?category=AI%20Basics)\n\n# The Ultimate Guide to NLP Chatbots in 2026\nLearn everything you need to know about NLP chatbots, including how they differ from rule-based chatbots, use cases, and how to build a custom NLP chatbot.\n\nJan 2, 2025\n\n·\n\nUpdated on\n\nJan 10, 2026\n\nWritten by\n\n![Sarah Chudleigh](https:\/\/cdn.prod.website-files.com\/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9\/680fd71b3171d1c8437a9def_SarahChudleighHeadshot.webp)\n\nSarah Chudleigh\n\nResearcher & AI Content Lead\n\nTable of Contents\n\n[![](https:\/\/cdn.prod.website-files.com\/635c4eeb78332f7971255095\/69a5f3bfcde030e14a25a27d_94fbce5be05cfcc9bf48f373c222ca05_blog-ad-placement-1280x685.webp)](https:\/\/botpress.com\/pricing)\n\nSummary\n\n- NLP (Natural Language Processing) chatbots are AI-powered tools that understand and generate human-like language.\n- NLP chatbots can interpret varied user inputs, detect intent, handle typos or slang, and sustain conversations.\n- Key NLP concepts include NLU (Natural Language Understanding) for interpreting user meaning, and NLG (Natural Language Generation) for crafting coherent replies, both essential for human-like dialogues.\n- Benefits of NLP chatbots include multilingual support, 24\/7 availability, cost savings, and the ability to integrate with enterprise systems to automate complex workflows and personalize interactions.\n\nTraditional chatbots were once the bane of our existence – but these days, most are NLP chatbots, able to understand and conduct complex conversations with their users.\n\nNLP chatbots are powered by AI, allowing them to conduct flexible conversations in pursuit of a goal – like selling a product or troubleshooting a technical solution – instead of a brittle questionnaire style of interaction.\n\nIn this article, I'll cover everything you need to know about natural language processing [AI chatbots](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/ai-chatbot), including:\n\n- NLP chatbots vs. rule-based chatbots\n- Common NLP terms\n- Benefits of NLP chatbots\n- Common use cases\n- How to build your own NLP chatbot\n## What is an NLP chatbot?\nA [natural language processing](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/natural-language-processing-nlp) (NLP) chatbot is an AI-powered conversational software designed to mimic human-like conversations with users.\n\nNLP chatbots can be text-based or voice-based.\n\nThey use NLP to understand the intent of a message, extract necessary information, and generate a helpful response.\n\nMany NLP chatbots are [LLM agents](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/llm-agents): software powered by LLMs, but customized by a builder.\n\nBy using LLMs like OpenAI's GPT, it's easier thank you might think to biuld your own [GPT chatbot](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/what-is-a-gpt-chatbot).\n\nCreate NLP Chatbots\n\nBuild custom NLP chatbots\n\n[Start now](https:\/\/sso.botpress.cloud\/registration?ref=blog)\n## What’s the difference between an NLP chatbot and a rule-based chatbot?\nNLP chatbots use AI to mimic human conversation. Traditional chatbots – also known as rule-based chatbots – don't use AI, so their interactions are less flexible.\n\nRule-based chatbots are designed to strictly follow conversational rules set up by their creator.\n\nIf a user inputs a specific command, a rule-based chatbot will churn out a preformed response.\n\nBut any user query that falls outside of these rules will be unable to be answered by the rule-based chatbot.\n\n![diagram comparing NLP chatbots and rule-based chatbots](https:\/\/cdn.prod.website-files.com\/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9\/685ee540a2bc36a10c95905a_1.webp)\n\n### NLP chatbots understand natural language\nNLP chatbots can, of course, understand and interpret natural language.\n\nA user can send a message as though they were communicating with another human, and an NLP chatbot can decipher its meaning.\n\nThat includes:\n\n- Understanding spelling and grammatical mistakes\n- Determining whether a message is a question or an intention\n- Registering a user’s emotion based on their language\n\nThis brings NLP chatbots far closer to the realm of natural human interaction. A rule-based chatbot can only respond accurately to a set number of commands.\n\n### NLP chatbots facilitate conversations, not just questionnaires\nIf a chatbot user interacts with a rule-based chatbot, any unexpected input leads to a conversational dead end.\n\nBecause of their strict programming, conversations with rule-based chatbots often feel like questionnaires: How can I help you today? Which model are you interested in? What is your budget?\n\nRule-based chatbots can often be replaced with a well-documented FAQ page. But since an NLP chatbot can adapt to conversational cues, it can hold a full, complex conversation with users.\n\nDeploying AI Agents?\n\nRead our Blueprint for AI Agent Implementation\n\n[Read Now](https:\/\/botpress.com\/resources\/blueprint-for-ai-agent-implementation?ref=blog)\n### NLP chatbots continuously improve\nThe only way for a rule-based chatbot to improve is for a programmer to add more rules.\n\nBut an NLP chatbot will improve using the data provided by its users.\n\nThe ability to improve makes an NLP chatbot better at understanding different ways to formulate questions or intent.\n\nThe more conversations it holds with users, the better its gets at understanding questions and holding a conversation.\n\n## NLP, NLU, and NLG, oh my\\!\nUnderstanding NLP chatbots comes with an arsenal of acronyms. Though they’re all related, each refers to a specific aspect of communication between machines and humans.\n\n![graphic asset showing 3 components of NLP: NLU and NLG](https:\/\/cdn.prod.website-files.com\/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9\/685ee553fcb521a63b0c31f6_2.webp)\n\n### Natural language processing\nThe broadest term, natural language processing (NLP), is a branch of AI that focuses on the natural language interactions between machines and humans.\n\nNLP aims to enable machines to interpret and respond to human language in a way that is meaningful and useful.\n\nWhen referring to NLP, it [includes the subfields](https:\/\/www.geeksforgeeks.org\/nlp\/nlp-vs-nlu-vs-nlg\/) of NLU and NLG.\n\n### Natural language understanding\n[Natural language understanding](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/what-is-natural-language-understanding-nlu) (NLU) is a subfield of NLP.\n\nNLU focuses on the machine’s ability to understand the intent behind human input.\n\nNLU includes tasks like intent recognition, entity extractions, and sentiment analysis – components that allow a software to understand the text given to it by a human.\n\n### Natural language generation\nNatural language generation (NLG) is another subfield of NLP.\n\nIt focuses on making the machine’s response as coherent and contextually appropriate as possible.\n\nNLG involves content determination (deciding how to respond to a query), sentence planning, and generating the final text output from the software.\n\n## Benefits of an NLP Chatbot\n![6 benefits of an NLP chatbot Scalability, employee support, 24\/7 support, reduced costs, integration capabilities, free translation](https:\/\/cdn.prod.website-files.com\/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9\/685ee56420a5accb70116124_3.webp)\n\n### Employee support\nWhen an organization uses an NLP chatbot, they’re able to automate tasks that would otherwise be handled by employees.\n\nA chatbot might take customer support calls, schedule meetings, or conduct analyses and then deliver the results in a report.\n\nWhen employees spend less time on repetitive tasks, they’re able to focus more of their time on high-level processes – ones that require higher levels of strategy, empathy, or creativity.\n\n### Free translation\nAn NLP chatbot’s language capabilities include translation, allowing organizations to serve users in any language at no extra cost.\n\nNLP chatbots are typically powered by large language models (LLMs), which can function across languages. ChatGPT alone can be [used in over 80 different languages](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/list-of-languages-supported-by-chatgpt).\n\nWhen bot builders use a platform to build AI chatbots, they can also build in bespoke translation capabilities.\n\n### 24\/7 support\nOne of the benefits of any chatbot is its full-time availability.\n\nSince NLP chatbots can handle many interactions from start to finish, employees aren’t always needed to assist in individual inquiries.\n\nSince an enterprise chatbot is always alive, that means companies can build lists of leads or service customers at any time of day.\n\n### Scalability\nBy taking over the bulk of user conversations, NLP chatbots allow companies to scale to a degree that would be impossible when relying on employees.\n\nNLP chatbots can handle a large number of simultaneous inquiries, speed up processes, and reliably complete a wide range of tasks.\n\nWhen aiming to scale an enterprise, AI automation is a necessity.\n\n### Integration capabilities\nPeter Gentsch, an AI professor, notes in his book [*AI in Marketing, Sales and Service*](https:\/\/link.springer.com\/book\/10.1007\/978-3-319-89957-2): \"To the user, chatbots seem to be “intelligent” due to their informative skills. However, chatbots are only as intelligent as the underlying database.\"\n\nTo build the highest-value chatbot, it should be integrated with a company’s existing systems and platforms.\n\nAn NLP chatbot is endlessly more useful if it’s able to take action into systems: updating a CRM, sending an email, notifying an employee.\n\nThis type of seamless integration into existing business processes requires a) developers to build these integrations between their chatbots and their systems, or b) the use of chatbot platforms that provide built-in integrations to common platforms.\n\n### Reduced costs\nCompanies using AI report a [52% reduction](https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/advisor\/business\/software\/ai-in-business\/) in labor costs.\n\nThe cost-effectiveness of NLP chatbots is one of their leading benefits – they empower companies to build their operations without ballooning costs.\n\nWhen properly implemented, automating conversational tasks through an NLP chatbot will always lead to a positive ROI, no matter the use case.\n\n## Best Use Cases of NLP Chatbots\nBecause of their flexible nature, NLP chatbots can be used in a wide variety of use cases, from [enterprise chatbots](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/enterprise-chatbots) to [small business AI agents](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/ai-agent-small-businesses). You can find NLP chatbots used in:\n\n- [Financial services](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/top-chatbots-financial-services)\n- [Real estate](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/chatbot-for-real-estate)\n- Education\n- [Hotels](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/chatbots-for-hotels) and [restaurants](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/chatbot-for-restaurants)\n- [Healthcare](https:\/\/botpress.com\/solutions\/healthcare)\n- [Insurance](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/insurance-chatbots)\n- Airlines\n- [Government](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/chatbots-for-government)\n\nBut thanks to their conversational flexibility, NLP chatbots can be applied in any conversational context. They can be customized to run a D\\&D role-playing game, help with math homework, or act as a tour guide.\n\n### Customer support chatbots\nOne of the first widely adopted use cases for chatbots was [customer support bots](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/customer-service-chatbot).\n\nAnd they're still growing in popularity. In fact, [83% of decision makers](https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/ca\/form\/service-cloud\/state-of-service-6\/?d=pb) say they plan to *increase* their investment in AI for customer service over the next year.\n\nCustomer support is a natural use case for NLP chatbots, with their 24\/7 and multilingual service.\n\nSince the days of traditional rule-based chatbots, customer support teams have offloaded the simplest calls to chatbots.\n\nWith the introduction of NLP chatbots, AI automation can take care of increasingly complex customer queries, from purchasing assistance to troubleshooting technical difficulties.\n\n### Lead generation chatbots\nMany use cases for NLP chatbots exist within an [AI-enhanced sales funnel](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/ai-sales-funnel), including lead qualification and [AI lead generation](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/ai-lead-generation).\n\nNLP chatbots are perfectly suited for lead gen, given the vast volumes of qualifying conversations that sales and marketing teams must sort through.\n\nA chatbot can interact with website visitors, or send messages to contacts by email or other messaging channels.\n\nTo reach their full potential, NLP chatbots should be integrated with any relevant internal systems.\n\nA lead gen chatbot needs to be integrated with a company’s CRM, calendar booking system (like Calendly), and deployed across the most appropriate messaging channels (email, website, or channels like [WhatsApp](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/top-whatsapp-chatbots)).\n\n### Internal employee chatbots\nWhile most NLP chatbots are customer-facing, there are a growing number of enterprises adopting NLP chatbots for internal processes.\n\nThese can include [HR](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/chatbot-for-hr), IT support, or assistance with internal tasks like documentation.\n\nThese types of chatbots are most common amongst enterprises with large numbers of employees.\n\n## How to Build an NLP Chatbot in 5 Steps\nWhile developers can build their own NLP chatbots from scratch, most organizations will use a chatbot platform to build their AI chatbots.\n\nA platform allows your team to [build a custom chatbot](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/how-to-build-your-own-ai-chatbot) with the support of built-in integrations, added security, and pre-built features.\n\nHere’s the step-by-step guide to building your own NLP chatbot:\n\n![Steps to build an NLP chatbot](https:\/\/cdn.prod.website-files.com\/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9\/685ee579578290aadd37726c_4.webp)\n\n### Step 1: Pick a platform\nPlenty of enterprises that decided to build their own NLP chatbot from scratch.\n\nIt can be an appealing choice: full reigns, blank slate, no monthly subscription fee. But few undertake this path for long.\n\nBuilding from scratch is time- and labor-intensive. Plus, it means your chatbot will take much longer to build or be much lower quality – or both.\n\nAs you pick a platform, keep in mind your company’s unique needs.\n\nIf you want a platform that doesn’t limit the possibilities of your chatbot, look for an enterprise chatbot platform that has open standards and an extensible stack.\n\nIf data privacy is your biggest concern, look for a platform that boasts high security standards.\n\nIf you have a beginner developer team, look for a platform with a user-friendly interface.\n\nIf you need some inspiration, you can browse our list of [the best chatbot platforms](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/9-best-ai-chatbot-platforms).\n\nAnd if you’re interested in taking a call tomorrow, you can [reach out to our sales team](https:\/\/botpress.com\/contact-us).\n\n### Step 2: Collect your data\nIf you’re looking to train your chatbot on company information – like HR policies, or customer support transcripts – you’ll need to collect the information you want your chatbot to train on.\n\nNot every enterprise uses original data to train a chatbot. Often, advanced prompting is sufficient to design your chatbot’s flows.\n\nBut if you want a chatbot that takes an extra step to customize your company’s offering, then collecting data and using it to train your chatbot is one way to do it.\n\n### Step 3: Build your chatbot\nWhen you pick your chatbot platform, make sure you choose one that comes with enough educational materials to assist your team throughout the build process.\n\nFor example, we offer [academy courses](https:\/\/academy.botpress.com\/pages\/learn), daily livestreams, and an extensive collection of YouTube tutorials.\n\nBot building can be a difficult task when you’re facing the learning curve – having resources at your fingertips makes the process go far smoother than without.\n\nAnd if your team is new to bot building, most enterprise chatbot platforms have a drag-and-drop visual flow builder that allows for easy visualization of your workflows.\n\n### Step 4: Integrate and customize\nChatbots don’t exist in a vacuum. Their purpose isn’t just customer interactions or explaining one set of policies.\n\nThe most useful NLP chatbots for enterprise are integrated across your company’s systems and platforms.\n\nThis might mean tables and documents, your website, or other third-party services – think platforms like Hubspot, AWS, Google Analytics, Intercom, Calendly, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Stripe, Mixpanel, Telegram, WhatsApp, or Zendesk.\n\nIf you use an AI chatbot platform, most of your team’s building time will be spent on perfecting your bot’s integrations, rather than building the chatbot itself.\n\nAnd if you pick a strong platform, it will allow you to customize your chatbot in tone and personality.\n\nYou won’t need to select specific words, but you can direct when your chatbot should speak apologetically, or what type of language it should use to describe your products.\n\n### Step 5: Deploy\nOne of the best aspects of a chatbot is that it can easily be deployed across any platform or messaging channel.\n\nMany enterprises choose to deploy a chatbot not just on their website, but on their social media channels or internal messaging platforms.\n\nNLP chatbots are a streamlined way to action a successful omnichannel strategy.\n\nYour users can experience the same service across multiple channels, and receive platform-specific help.\n\nFor example, a customer communication coming from a [WhatsApp chatbot](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/top-whatsapp-chatbots) can ask to change their password on your internal system.\n\n## Deploy a custom NLP chatbot next month\nThe companies that survive the next 5 years will be AI-enhanced.\n\nNLP chatbots allow enterprises to scale their business processes with a cost-effectiveness that was previously impossible.\n\nBotpress allows companies to build customized, LLM-powered chatbots and AI agents. Our agents are deployed across any use case and integrated with any system or channel.\n\n‍[Start building today.](https:\/\/sso.botpress.cloud\/registration) It’s free.\n\nOr [contact our sales team](https:\/\/botpress.com\/contact-us) to learn more.\n\nCreate NLP Chatbots\n\nBuild custom NLP chatbots\n\n[Start now](https:\/\/sso.botpress.cloud\/registration?ref=blog)\n## FAQs\n### 1\\. What criteria should I use to evaluate NLP chatbot platforms?\nTo evaluate NLP chatbot platforms, focus on core factors like ease of use (for both technical and non-technical users), support for large language models (LLMs), integration options with your existing systems (e.g., CRMs or APIs), scalability, multilingual NLU, and customization flexibility. Documentation and active support are also critical for success.\n\n### 2\\. What are the most common integration challenges with NLP chatbots?\nThe most common integration challenges with NLP chatbots include connecting to legacy systems that lack modern APIs and managing changes in backend systems that can break flows. Additionally, authentication and data consistency across platforms complicates integrations.\n\n### 3\\. How do open-source platforms compare with commercial ones for NLP chatbot development?\nOpen-source NLP chatbot platforms offer full control, making them ideal for developers who need to customize. However, they often lack the ease-of-use, ready-made integrations, managed hosting, and enterprise support that commercial platforms provide, making commercial options faster for teams with limited engineering resources.\n\n### 4\\. Can I switch platforms after I’ve already built a chatbot?\nYes, you can switch chatbot platforms after building one, but it involves re-creating conversation flows, re-integrating backend systems, and migrating training data and user memory. While technically feasible, the process requires planning, and it's important to evaluate the new platform's feature set to avoid regression in capability.\n\n### 5\\. How do NLP chatbots ensure user data privacy?\nNLP chatbots ensure user data privacy by encrypting data in transit and at rest and providing granular controls over data storage and retention. The best platforms are compliant with data protection regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or CCPA and allow you to configure consent handling and access logs.\n\nRelated\n\n[![](https:\/\/cdn.prod.website-files.com\/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9\/699cbd79bf699be97e54acd1_blog-image-managed.webp)The Easiest Way to Deploy High-ROI AI AgentsBy Botpress](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/managed-plan)\n\n[![](https:\/\/cdn.prod.website-files.com\/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9\/684af070c62fc0ab32668966_series-b.gif)\\$25M to build the infrastructure layer for AI agentsBy Sylvain Perron](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/series-b)\n\n[![](https:\/\/cdn.prod.website-files.com\/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9\/6849c09b65522cd49e97579c_Export.webp)11 Most Common Chatbot Mistakes (From AI Experts)By Sarah Chudleigh](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/common-chatbot-mistakes)\n\nBuild\n\nbetter\n\nwith Botpress\n\n[Get started](https:\/\/sso.botpress.cloud\/registration?ref=navbar)\n\n![An illustration of books, a plant, and a laptop on a table.](https:\/\/cdn.prod.website-files.com\/635c4eeb78332f7971255095\/682391efe465814b90c5ff68_23959dcacb8779e2b3664e2877d793ca_cta.webp)\n\n© 2025 Botpress\n\nPlatform\n\n[Pricing](https:\/\/botpress.com\/pricing?ref=footer)\n\n[Agent Studio](https:\/\/botpress.com\/features\/ai-agent-studio?ref=footer)\n\n[Autonomous Engine](https:\/\/botpress.com\/features\/autonomous?ref=footer)\n\n[Knowledge Bases](https:\/\/botpress.com\/features\/knowledge-bases?ref=footer)\n\n[Human Handoff](https:\/\/botpress.com\/features\/human-handoff)\n\n[Tables](https:\/\/botpress.com\/features\/tables?ref=footer)\n\nHub\n\n[Integrations](https:\/\/botpress.com\/hub?type=Integration)\n\n[Channels](https:\/\/botpress.com\/hub?type=Channel)\n\n[LLMs](https:\/\/botpress.com\/hub?type=LLM)\n\nResources\n\n[Talk to our Team](https:\/\/botpress.com\/contact-us)\n\n[Documentation](https:\/\/botpress.com\/docs\/)\n\n[Hire an Expert](https:\/\/botpress.com\/get-matched)\n\n[Videos](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/botpress)\n\n[Customer Stories](https:\/\/botpress.com\/customers)\n\n[API Reference](https:\/\/botpress.com\/docs\/api-reference\/introduction)\n\n[Blog](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog)\n\n[Status](https:\/\/status.botpress.com\/)\n\n[v12 Resources](https:\/\/v12.botpress.com\/)\n\nCommunity\n\n[Partners & Affiliates](https:\/\/botpress.com\/partners)\n\n[Discord](https:\/\/discord.gg\/botpress)\n\nCompany\n\n[About](https:\/\/botpress.com\/company\/about)\n\n[Careers](https:\/\/botpress.com\/careers)\n\n[Legal](https:\/\/botpress.com\/legal)\n\n[Privacy](https:\/\/botpress.com\/legal\/privacy-statement)","attrs_readable_markdown":"Traditional chatbots were once the bane of our existence – but these days, most are NLP chatbots, able to understand and conduct complex conversations with their users.\n\nNLP chatbots are powered by AI, allowing them to conduct flexible conversations in pursuit of a goal – like selling a product or troubleshooting a technical solution – instead of a brittle questionnaire style of interaction.\n\nIn this article, I'll cover everything you need to know about natural language processing [AI chatbots](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/ai-chatbot), including:\n\n- NLP chatbots vs. rule-based chatbots\n- Common NLP terms\n- Benefits of NLP chatbots\n- Common use cases\n- How to build your own NLP chatbot\n## What is an NLP chatbot?\nA [natural language processing](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/natural-language-processing-nlp) (NLP) chatbot is an AI-powered conversational software designed to mimic human-like conversations with users.\n\nNLP chatbots can be text-based or voice-based.\n\nThey use NLP to understand the intent of a message, extract necessary information, and generate a helpful response.\n\nMany NLP chatbots are [LLM agents](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/llm-agents): software powered by LLMs, but customized by a builder.\n\nBy using LLMs like OpenAI's GPT, it's easier thank you might think to biuld your own [GPT chatbot](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/what-is-a-gpt-chatbot).\n\nCreate NLP Chatbots\n\nBuild custom NLP chatbots\n\n[Start now](https:\/\/sso.botpress.cloud\/registration?ref=blog)\n## What’s the difference between an NLP chatbot and a rule-based chatbot?\nNLP chatbots use AI to mimic human conversation. Traditional chatbots – also known as rule-based chatbots – don't use AI, so their interactions are less flexible.\n\nRule-based chatbots are designed to strictly follow conversational rules set up by their creator.\n\nIf a user inputs a specific command, a rule-based chatbot will churn out a preformed response.\n\nBut any user query that falls outside of these rules will be unable to be answered by the rule-based chatbot.\n\n![diagram comparing NLP chatbots and rule-based chatbots](https:\/\/cdn.prod.website-files.com\/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9\/685ee540a2bc36a10c95905a_1.webp)\n\n### NLP chatbots understand natural language\nNLP chatbots can, of course, understand and interpret natural language.\n\nA user can send a message as though they were communicating with another human, and an NLP chatbot can decipher its meaning.\n\nThat includes:\n\n- Understanding spelling and grammatical mistakes\n- Determining whether a message is a question or an intention\n- Registering a user’s emotion based on their language\n\nThis brings NLP chatbots far closer to the realm of natural human interaction. A rule-based chatbot can only respond accurately to a set number of commands.\n\n### NLP chatbots facilitate conversations, not just questionnaires\nIf a chatbot user interacts with a rule-based chatbot, any unexpected input leads to a conversational dead end.\n\nBecause of their strict programming, conversations with rule-based chatbots often feel like questionnaires: How can I help you today? Which model are you interested in? What is your budget?\n\nRule-based chatbots can often be replaced with a well-documented FAQ page. But since an NLP chatbot can adapt to conversational cues, it can hold a full, complex conversation with users.\n\nDeploying AI Agents?\n\nRead our Blueprint for AI Agent Implementation\n\n[Read Now](https:\/\/botpress.com\/resources\/blueprint-for-ai-agent-implementation?ref=blog)\n### NLP chatbots continuously improve\nThe only way for a rule-based chatbot to improve is for a programmer to add more rules.\n\nBut an NLP chatbot will improve using the data provided by its users.\n\nThe ability to improve makes an NLP chatbot better at understanding different ways to formulate questions or intent.\n\nThe more conversations it holds with users, the better its gets at understanding questions and holding a conversation.\n\n## NLP, NLU, and NLG, oh my\\!\nUnderstanding NLP chatbots comes with an arsenal of acronyms. Though they’re all related, each refers to a specific aspect of communication between machines and humans.\n\n![graphic asset showing 3 components of NLP: NLU and NLG](https:\/\/cdn.prod.website-files.com\/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9\/685ee553fcb521a63b0c31f6_2.webp)\n\n### Natural language processing\nThe broadest term, natural language processing (NLP), is a branch of AI that focuses on the natural language interactions between machines and humans.\n\nNLP aims to enable machines to interpret and respond to human language in a way that is meaningful and useful.\n\nWhen referring to NLP, it [includes the subfields](https:\/\/www.geeksforgeeks.org\/nlp\/nlp-vs-nlu-vs-nlg\/) of NLU and NLG.\n\n### Natural language understanding\n[Natural language understanding](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/what-is-natural-language-understanding-nlu) (NLU) is a subfield of NLP.\n\nNLU focuses on the machine’s ability to understand the intent behind human input.\n\nNLU includes tasks like intent recognition, entity extractions, and sentiment analysis – components that allow a software to understand the text given to it by a human.\n\n### Natural language generation\nNatural language generation (NLG) is another subfield of NLP.\n\nIt focuses on making the machine’s response as coherent and contextually appropriate as possible.\n\nNLG involves content determination (deciding how to respond to a query), sentence planning, and generating the final text output from the software.\n\n## Benefits of an NLP Chatbot\n![6 benefits of an NLP chatbot Scalability, employee support, 24\/7 support, reduced costs, integration capabilities, free translation](https:\/\/cdn.prod.website-files.com\/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9\/685ee56420a5accb70116124_3.webp)\n\n### Employee support\nWhen an organization uses an NLP chatbot, they’re able to automate tasks that would otherwise be handled by employees.\n\nA chatbot might take customer support calls, schedule meetings, or conduct analyses and then deliver the results in a report.\n\nWhen employees spend less time on repetitive tasks, they’re able to focus more of their time on high-level processes – ones that require higher levels of strategy, empathy, or creativity.\n\n### Free translation\nAn NLP chatbot’s language capabilities include translation, allowing organizations to serve users in any language at no extra cost.\n\nNLP chatbots are typically powered by large language models (LLMs), which can function across languages. ChatGPT alone can be [used in over 80 different languages](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/list-of-languages-supported-by-chatgpt).\n\nWhen bot builders use a platform to build AI chatbots, they can also build in bespoke translation capabilities.\n\n### 24\/7 support\nOne of the benefits of any chatbot is its full-time availability.\n\nSince NLP chatbots can handle many interactions from start to finish, employees aren’t always needed to assist in individual inquiries.\n\nSince an enterprise chatbot is always alive, that means companies can build lists of leads or service customers at any time of day.\n\n### Scalability\nBy taking over the bulk of user conversations, NLP chatbots allow companies to scale to a degree that would be impossible when relying on employees.\n\nNLP chatbots can handle a large number of simultaneous inquiries, speed up processes, and reliably complete a wide range of tasks.\n\nWhen aiming to scale an enterprise, AI automation is a necessity.\n\n### Integration capabilities\nPeter Gentsch, an AI professor, notes in his book [*AI in Marketing, Sales and Service*](https:\/\/link.springer.com\/book\/10.1007\/978-3-319-89957-2): \"To the user, chatbots seem to be “intelligent” due to their informative skills. However, chatbots are only as intelligent as the underlying database.\"\n\nTo build the highest-value chatbot, it should be integrated with a company’s existing systems and platforms.\n\nAn NLP chatbot is endlessly more useful if it’s able to take action into systems: updating a CRM, sending an email, notifying an employee.\n\nThis type of seamless integration into existing business processes requires a) developers to build these integrations between their chatbots and their systems, or b) the use of chatbot platforms that provide built-in integrations to common platforms.\n\n### Reduced costs\nCompanies using AI report a [52% reduction](https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/advisor\/business\/software\/ai-in-business\/) in labor costs.\n\nThe cost-effectiveness of NLP chatbots is one of their leading benefits – they empower companies to build their operations without ballooning costs.\n\nWhen properly implemented, automating conversational tasks through an NLP chatbot will always lead to a positive ROI, no matter the use case.\n\n## Best Use Cases of NLP Chatbots\nBecause of their flexible nature, NLP chatbots can be used in a wide variety of use cases, from [enterprise chatbots](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/enterprise-chatbots) to [small business AI agents](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/ai-agent-small-businesses). You can find NLP chatbots used in:\n\n- [Financial services](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/top-chatbots-financial-services)\n- [Real estate](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/chatbot-for-real-estate)\n- Education\n- [Hotels](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/chatbots-for-hotels) and [restaurants](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/chatbot-for-restaurants)\n- [Healthcare](https:\/\/botpress.com\/solutions\/healthcare)\n- [Insurance](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/insurance-chatbots)\n- Airlines\n- [Government](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/chatbots-for-government)\n\nBut thanks to their conversational flexibility, NLP chatbots can be applied in any conversational context. They can be customized to run a D\\&D role-playing game, help with math homework, or act as a tour guide.\n\n### Customer support chatbots\nOne of the first widely adopted use cases for chatbots was [customer support bots](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/customer-service-chatbot).\n\nAnd they're still growing in popularity. In fact, [83% of decision makers](https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/ca\/form\/service-cloud\/state-of-service-6\/?d=pb) say they plan to *increase* their investment in AI for customer service over the next year.\n\nCustomer support is a natural use case for NLP chatbots, with their 24\/7 and multilingual service.\n\nSince the days of traditional rule-based chatbots, customer support teams have offloaded the simplest calls to chatbots.\n\nWith the introduction of NLP chatbots, AI automation can take care of increasingly complex customer queries, from purchasing assistance to troubleshooting technical difficulties.\n\n### Lead generation chatbots\nMany use cases for NLP chatbots exist within an [AI-enhanced sales funnel](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/ai-sales-funnel), including lead qualification and [AI lead generation](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/ai-lead-generation).\n\nNLP chatbots are perfectly suited for lead gen, given the vast volumes of qualifying conversations that sales and marketing teams must sort through.\n\nA chatbot can interact with website visitors, or send messages to contacts by email or other messaging channels.\n\nTo reach their full potential, NLP chatbots should be integrated with any relevant internal systems.\n\nA lead gen chatbot needs to be integrated with a company’s CRM, calendar booking system (like Calendly), and deployed across the most appropriate messaging channels (email, website, or channels like [WhatsApp](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/top-whatsapp-chatbots)).\n\n### Internal employee chatbots\nWhile most NLP chatbots are customer-facing, there are a growing number of enterprises adopting NLP chatbots for internal processes.\n\nThese can include [HR](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/chatbot-for-hr), IT support, or assistance with internal tasks like documentation.\n\nThese types of chatbots are most common amongst enterprises with large numbers of employees.\n\n## How to Build an NLP Chatbot in 5 Steps\nWhile developers can build their own NLP chatbots from scratch, most organizations will use a chatbot platform to build their AI chatbots.\n\nA platform allows your team to [build a custom chatbot](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/how-to-build-your-own-ai-chatbot) with the support of built-in integrations, added security, and pre-built features.\n\nHere’s the step-by-step guide to building your own NLP chatbot:\n\n![Steps to build an NLP chatbot](https:\/\/cdn.prod.website-files.com\/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9\/685ee579578290aadd37726c_4.webp)\n\n### Step 1: Pick a platform\nPlenty of enterprises that decided to build their own NLP chatbot from scratch.\n\nIt can be an appealing choice: full reigns, blank slate, no monthly subscription fee. But few undertake this path for long.\n\nBuilding from scratch is time- and labor-intensive. Plus, it means your chatbot will take much longer to build or be much lower quality – or both.\n\nAs you pick a platform, keep in mind your company’s unique needs.\n\nIf you want a platform that doesn’t limit the possibilities of your chatbot, look for an enterprise chatbot platform that has open standards and an extensible stack.\n\nIf data privacy is your biggest concern, look for a platform that boasts high security standards.\n\nIf you have a beginner developer team, look for a platform with a user-friendly interface.\n\nIf you need some inspiration, you can browse our list of [the best chatbot platforms](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/9-best-ai-chatbot-platforms).\n\nAnd if you’re interested in taking a call tomorrow, you can [reach out to our sales team](https:\/\/botpress.com\/contact-us).\n\n### Step 2: Collect your data\nIf you’re looking to train your chatbot on company information – like HR policies, or customer support transcripts – you’ll need to collect the information you want your chatbot to train on.\n\nNot every enterprise uses original data to train a chatbot. Often, advanced prompting is sufficient to design your chatbot’s flows.\n\nBut if you want a chatbot that takes an extra step to customize your company’s offering, then collecting data and using it to train your chatbot is one way to do it.\n\n### Step 3: Build your chatbot\nWhen you pick your chatbot platform, make sure you choose one that comes with enough educational materials to assist your team throughout the build process.\n\nFor example, we offer [academy courses](https:\/\/academy.botpress.com\/pages\/learn), daily livestreams, and an extensive collection of YouTube tutorials.\n\nBot building can be a difficult task when you’re facing the learning curve – having resources at your fingertips makes the process go far smoother than without.\n\nAnd if your team is new to bot building, most enterprise chatbot platforms have a drag-and-drop visual flow builder that allows for easy visualization of your workflows.\n\n### Step 4: Integrate and customize\nChatbots don’t exist in a vacuum. Their purpose isn’t just customer interactions or explaining one set of policies.\n\nThe most useful NLP chatbots for enterprise are integrated across your company’s systems and platforms.\n\nThis might mean tables and documents, your website, or other third-party services – think platforms like Hubspot, AWS, Google Analytics, Intercom, Calendly, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Stripe, Mixpanel, Telegram, WhatsApp, or Zendesk.\n\nIf you use an AI chatbot platform, most of your team’s building time will be spent on perfecting your bot’s integrations, rather than building the chatbot itself.\n\nAnd if you pick a strong platform, it will allow you to customize your chatbot in tone and personality.\n\nYou won’t need to select specific words, but you can direct when your chatbot should speak apologetically, or what type of language it should use to describe your products.\n\n### Step 5: Deploy\nOne of the best aspects of a chatbot is that it can easily be deployed across any platform or messaging channel.\n\nMany enterprises choose to deploy a chatbot not just on their website, but on their social media channels or internal messaging platforms.\n\nNLP chatbots are a streamlined way to action a successful omnichannel strategy.\n\nYour users can experience the same service across multiple channels, and receive platform-specific help.\n\nFor example, a customer communication coming from a [WhatsApp chatbot](https:\/\/botpress.com\/blog\/top-whatsapp-chatbots) can ask to change their password on your internal system.\n\n## Deploy a custom NLP chatbot next month\nThe companies that survive the next 5 years will be AI-enhanced.\n\nNLP chatbots allow enterprises to scale their business processes with a cost-effectiveness that was previously impossible.\n\nBotpress allows companies to build customized, LLM-powered chatbots and AI agents. Our agents are deployed across any use case and integrated with any system or channel.\n\n‍[Start building today.](https:\/\/sso.botpress.cloud\/registration) It’s free.\n\nOr [contact our sales team](https:\/\/botpress.com\/contact-us) to learn more.\n\nCreate NLP Chatbots\n\nBuild custom NLP chatbots\n\n[Start now](https:\/\/sso.botpress.cloud\/registration?ref=blog)\n## FAQs\n### 1\\. What criteria should I use to evaluate NLP chatbot platforms?\nTo evaluate NLP chatbot platforms, focus on core factors like ease of use (for both technical and non-technical users), support for large language models (LLMs), integration options with your existing systems (e.g., CRMs or APIs), scalability, multilingual NLU, and customization flexibility. Documentation and active support are also critical for success.\n\n### 2\\. What are the most common integration challenges with NLP chatbots?\nThe most common integration challenges with NLP chatbots include connecting to legacy systems that lack modern APIs and managing changes in backend systems that can break flows. Additionally, authentication and data consistency across platforms complicates integrations.\n\n### 3\\. How do open-source platforms compare with commercial ones for NLP chatbot development?\nOpen-source NLP chatbot platforms offer full control, making them ideal for developers who need to customize. However, they often lack the ease-of-use, ready-made integrations, managed hosting, and enterprise support that commercial platforms provide, making commercial options faster for teams with limited engineering resources.\n\n### 4\\. Can I switch platforms after I’ve already built a chatbot?\nYes, you can switch chatbot platforms after building one, but it involves re-creating conversation flows, re-integrating backend systems, and migrating training data and user memory. While technically feasible, the process requires planning, and it's important to evaluate the new platform's feature set to avoid regression in capability.\n\n### 5\\. How do NLP chatbots ensure user data privacy?\nNLP chatbots ensure user data privacy by encrypting data in transit and at rest and providing granular controls over data storage and retention. The best platforms are compliant with data protection regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or CCPA and allow you to configure consent handling and access logs.","meta_canonical":null}

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Boilerpipe Text	Traditional chatbots were once the bane of our existence – but these days, most are NLP chatbots, able to understand and conduct complex conversations with their users. NLP chatbots are powered by AI, allowing them to conduct flexible conversations in pursuit of a goal – like selling a product or troubleshooting a technical solution – instead of a brittle questionnaire style of interaction. In this article, I'll cover everything you need to know about natural language processing AI chatbots , including: NLP chatbots vs. rule-based chatbots Common NLP terms Benefits of NLP chatbots Common use cases How to build your own NLP chatbot What is an NLP chatbot? A natural language processing (NLP) chatbot is an AI-powered conversational software designed to mimic human-like conversations with users. NLP chatbots can be text-based or voice-based. They use NLP to understand the intent of a message, extract necessary information, and generate a helpful response. Many NLP chatbots are LLM agents : software powered by LLMs, but customized by a builder. By using LLMs like OpenAI's GPT, it's easier thank you might think to biuld your own GPT chatbot . Create NLP Chatbots Build custom NLP chatbots Start now What’s the difference between an NLP chatbot and a rule-based chatbot? NLP chatbots use AI to mimic human conversation. Traditional chatbots – also known as rule-based chatbots – don't use AI, so their interactions are less flexible. Rule-based chatbots are designed to strictly follow conversational rules set up by their creator. If a user inputs a specific command, a rule-based chatbot will churn out a preformed response. But any user query that falls outside of these rules will be unable to be answered by the rule-based chatbot. NLP chatbots understand natural language NLP chatbots can, of course, understand and interpret natural language. A user can send a message as though they were communicating with another human, and an NLP chatbot can decipher its meaning. That includes: Understanding spelling and grammatical mistakes Determining whether a message is a question or an intention Registering a user’s emotion based on their language This brings NLP chatbots far closer to the realm of natural human interaction. A rule-based chatbot can only respond accurately to a set number of commands. NLP chatbots facilitate conversations, not just questionnaires If a chatbot user interacts with a rule-based chatbot, any unexpected input leads to a conversational dead end. Because of their strict programming, conversations with rule-based chatbots often feel like questionnaires: How can I help you today? Which model are you interested in? What is your budget? Rule-based chatbots can often be replaced with a well-documented FAQ page. But since an NLP chatbot can adapt to conversational cues, it can hold a full, complex conversation with users. Deploying AI Agents? Read our Blueprint for AI Agent Implementation Read Now NLP chatbots continuously improve The only way for a rule-based chatbot to improve is for a programmer to add more rules. But an NLP chatbot will improve using the data provided by its users. The ability to improve makes an NLP chatbot better at understanding different ways to formulate questions or intent. The more conversations it holds with users, the better its gets at understanding questions and holding a conversation. NLP, NLU, and NLG, oh my! Understanding NLP chatbots comes with an arsenal of acronyms. Though they’re all related, each refers to a specific aspect of communication between machines and humans. Natural language processing The broadest term, natural language processing (NLP), is a branch of AI that focuses on the natural language interactions between machines and humans. NLP aims to enable machines to interpret and respond to human language in a way that is meaningful and useful. When referring to NLP, it includes the subfields of NLU and NLG. Natural language understanding Natural language understanding (NLU) is a subfield of NLP. NLU focuses on the machine’s ability to understand the intent behind human input. NLU includes tasks like intent recognition, entity extractions, and sentiment analysis – components that allow a software to understand the text given to it by a human. Natural language generation Natural language generation (NLG) is another subfield of NLP. It focuses on making the machine’s response as coherent and contextually appropriate as possible. NLG involves content determination (deciding how to respond to a query), sentence planning, and generating the final text output from the software. Benefits of an NLP Chatbot Employee support When an organization uses an NLP chatbot, they’re able to automate tasks that would otherwise be handled by employees. A chatbot might take customer support calls, schedule meetings, or conduct analyses and then deliver the results in a report. When employees spend less time on repetitive tasks, they’re able to focus more of their time on high-level processes – ones that require higher levels of strategy, empathy, or creativity. Free translation An NLP chatbot’s language capabilities include translation, allowing organizations to serve users in any language at no extra cost. NLP chatbots are typically powered by large language models (LLMs), which can function across languages. ChatGPT alone can be used in over 80 different languages . When bot builders use a platform to build AI chatbots, they can also build in bespoke translation capabilities. 24/7 support One of the benefits of any chatbot is its full-time availability. Since NLP chatbots can handle many interactions from start to finish, employees aren’t always needed to assist in individual inquiries. Since an enterprise chatbot is always alive, that means companies can build lists of leads or service customers at any time of day. Scalability By taking over the bulk of user conversations, NLP chatbots allow companies to scale to a degree that would be impossible when relying on employees. NLP chatbots can handle a large number of simultaneous inquiries, speed up processes, and reliably complete a wide range of tasks. When aiming to scale an enterprise, AI automation is a necessity. Integration capabilities Peter Gentsch, an AI professor, notes in his book AI in Marketing, Sales and Service : "To the user, chatbots seem to be “intelligent” due to their informative skills. However, chatbots are only as intelligent as the underlying database." To build the highest-value chatbot, it should be integrated with a company’s existing systems and platforms. An NLP chatbot is endlessly more useful if it’s able to take action into systems: updating a CRM, sending an email, notifying an employee. This type of seamless integration into existing business processes requires a) developers to build these integrations between their chatbots and their systems, or b) the use of chatbot platforms that provide built-in integrations to common platforms. Reduced costs Companies using AI report a 52% reduction in labor costs. The cost-effectiveness of NLP chatbots is one of their leading benefits – they empower companies to build their operations without ballooning costs. When properly implemented, automating conversational tasks through an NLP chatbot will always lead to a positive ROI, no matter the use case. Best Use Cases of NLP Chatbots Because of their flexible nature, NLP chatbots can be used in a wide variety of use cases, from enterprise chatbots to small business AI agents . You can find NLP chatbots used in: Financial services Real estate Education Hotels and restaurants Healthcare Insurance Airlines Government But thanks to their conversational flexibility, NLP chatbots can be applied in any conversational context. They can be customized to run a D&D role-playing game, help with math homework, or act as a tour guide. Customer support chatbots One of the first widely adopted use cases for chatbots was customer support bots . And they're still growing in popularity. In fact, 83% of decision makers say they plan to increase their investment in AI for customer service over the next year. Customer support is a natural use case for NLP chatbots, with their 24/7 and multilingual service. Since the days of traditional rule-based chatbots, customer support teams have offloaded the simplest calls to chatbots. With the introduction of NLP chatbots, AI automation can take care of increasingly complex customer queries, from purchasing assistance to troubleshooting technical difficulties. Lead generation chatbots Many use cases for NLP chatbots exist within an AI-enhanced sales funnel , including lead qualification and AI lead generation . NLP chatbots are perfectly suited for lead gen, given the vast volumes of qualifying conversations that sales and marketing teams must sort through. A chatbot can interact with website visitors, or send messages to contacts by email or other messaging channels. To reach their full potential, NLP chatbots should be integrated with any relevant internal systems. A lead gen chatbot needs to be integrated with a company’s CRM, calendar booking system (like Calendly), and deployed across the most appropriate messaging channels (email, website, or channels like WhatsApp ). Internal employee chatbots While most NLP chatbots are customer-facing, there are a growing number of enterprises adopting NLP chatbots for internal processes. These can include HR , IT support, or assistance with internal tasks like documentation. These types of chatbots are most common amongst enterprises with large numbers of employees. How to Build an NLP Chatbot in 5 Steps While developers can build their own NLP chatbots from scratch, most organizations will use a chatbot platform to build their AI chatbots. A platform allows your team to build a custom chatbot with the support of built-in integrations, added security, and pre-built features. Here’s the step-by-step guide to building your own NLP chatbot: Step 1: Pick a platform Plenty of enterprises that decided to build their own NLP chatbot from scratch. It can be an appealing choice: full reigns, blank slate, no monthly subscription fee. But few undertake this path for long. Building from scratch is time- and labor-intensive. Plus, it means your chatbot will take much longer to build or be much lower quality – or both. As you pick a platform, keep in mind your company’s unique needs. If you want a platform that doesn’t limit the possibilities of your chatbot, look for an enterprise chatbot platform that has open standards and an extensible stack. If data privacy is your biggest concern, look for a platform that boasts high security standards. If you have a beginner developer team, look for a platform with a user-friendly interface. If you need some inspiration, you can browse our list of the best chatbot platforms . And if you’re interested in taking a call tomorrow, you can reach out to our sales team . Step 2: Collect your data If you’re looking to train your chatbot on company information – like HR policies, or customer support transcripts – you’ll need to collect the information you want your chatbot to train on. Not every enterprise uses original data to train a chatbot. Often, advanced prompting is sufficient to design your chatbot’s flows. But if you want a chatbot that takes an extra step to customize your company’s offering, then collecting data and using it to train your chatbot is one way to do it. Step 3: Build your chatbot When you pick your chatbot platform, make sure you choose one that comes with enough educational materials to assist your team throughout the build process. For example, we offer academy courses , daily livestreams, and an extensive collection of YouTube tutorials. Bot building can be a difficult task when you’re facing the learning curve – having resources at your fingertips makes the process go far smoother than without. And if your team is new to bot building, most enterprise chatbot platforms have a drag-and-drop visual flow builder that allows for easy visualization of your workflows. Step 4: Integrate and customize Chatbots don’t exist in a vacuum. Their purpose isn’t just customer interactions or explaining one set of policies. The most useful NLP chatbots for enterprise are integrated across your company’s systems and platforms. This might mean tables and documents, your website, or other third-party services – think platforms like Hubspot, AWS, Google Analytics, Intercom, Calendly, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Stripe, Mixpanel, Telegram, WhatsApp, or Zendesk. If you use an AI chatbot platform, most of your team’s building time will be spent on perfecting your bot’s integrations, rather than building the chatbot itself. And if you pick a strong platform, it will allow you to customize your chatbot in tone and personality. You won’t need to select specific words, but you can direct when your chatbot should speak apologetically, or what type of language it should use to describe your products. Step 5: Deploy One of the best aspects of a chatbot is that it can easily be deployed across any platform or messaging channel. Many enterprises choose to deploy a chatbot not just on their website, but on their social media channels or internal messaging platforms. NLP chatbots are a streamlined way to action a successful omnichannel strategy. Your users can experience the same service across multiple channels, and receive platform-specific help. For example, a customer communication coming from a WhatsApp chatbot can ask to change their password on your internal system. Deploy a custom NLP chatbot next month The companies that survive the next 5 years will be AI-enhanced. NLP chatbots allow enterprises to scale their business processes with a cost-effectiveness that was previously impossible. Botpress allows companies to build customized, LLM-powered chatbots and AI agents. Our agents are deployed across any use case and integrated with any system or channel. ‍ Start building today. It’s free. Or contact our sales team to learn more. Create NLP Chatbots Build custom NLP chatbots Start now FAQs 1. What criteria should I use to evaluate NLP chatbot platforms? To evaluate NLP chatbot platforms, focus on core factors like ease of use (for both technical and non-technical users), support for large language models (LLMs), integration options with your existing systems (e.g., CRMs or APIs), scalability, multilingual NLU, and customization flexibility. Documentation and active support are also critical for success. 2. What are the most common integration challenges with NLP chatbots? The most common integration challenges with NLP chatbots include connecting to legacy systems that lack modern APIs and managing changes in backend systems that can break flows. Additionally, authentication and data consistency across platforms complicates integrations. 3. How do open-source platforms compare with commercial ones for NLP chatbot development? Open-source NLP chatbot platforms offer full control, making them ideal for developers who need to customize. However, they often lack the ease-of-use, ready-made integrations, managed hosting, and enterprise support that commercial platforms provide, making commercial options faster for teams with limited engineering resources. 4. Can I switch platforms after I’ve already built a chatbot? Yes, you can switch chatbot platforms after building one, but it involves re-creating conversation flows, re-integrating backend systems, and migrating training data and user memory. While technically feasible, the process requires planning, and it's important to evaluate the new platform's feature set to avoid regression in capability. 5. How do NLP chatbots ensure user data privacy? NLP chatbots ensure user data privacy by encrypting data in transit and at rest and providing granular controls over data storage and retention. The best platforms are compliant with data protection regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or CCPA and allow you to configure consent handling and access logs.
Markdown	Platform Features [Agent Studio Build and customize your agent rapidly](https://botpress.com/features/ai-agent-studio) [Autonomous Engine Use LLMs to guide conversations and tasks](https://botpress.com/features/autonomous) [Knowledge Bases Train your bot with custom knowledge sources](https://botpress.com/features/knowledge-bases) [Human Handoff Manage conversations with human involvement](https://botpress.com/features/human-handoff) [Tables Store and manage conversation data](https://botpress.com/features/tables) Channels [![Whatsapp Emblem](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/635c4eeb78332f7971255095/63d7f45fde2c90121a9d4d68_whatsapp.svg)WhatsApp](https://botpress.com/integrations/whatsapp) [![Instagram Emblem](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/635c4eeb78332f7971255095/63d7f58ff8d43b9dd4567113_Instagram_logo_2022.svg)Instagram](https://botpress.com/integrations/instagram) [![Facebook Messenger 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Jan 2, 2025 · Updated on Jan 10, 2026 Written by ![Sarah Chudleigh](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9/680fd71b3171d1c8437a9def_SarahChudleighHeadshot.webp) Sarah Chudleigh Researcher & AI Content Lead Table of Contents [![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/635c4eeb78332f7971255095/69a5f3bfcde030e14a25a27d_94fbce5be05cfcc9bf48f373c222ca05_blog-ad-placement-1280x685.webp)](https://botpress.com/pricing) Summary - NLP (Natural Language Processing) chatbots are AI-powered tools that understand and generate human-like language. - NLP chatbots can interpret varied user inputs, detect intent, handle typos or slang, and sustain conversations. - Key NLP concepts include NLU (Natural Language Understanding) for interpreting user meaning, and NLG (Natural Language Generation) for crafting coherent replies, both essential for human-like dialogues. - Benefits of NLP chatbots include multilingual support, 24/7 availability, cost savings, and the ability to integrate with enterprise systems to automate complex workflows and personalize interactions. Traditional chatbots were once the bane of our existence – but these days, most are NLP chatbots, able to understand and conduct complex conversations with their users. NLP chatbots are powered by AI, allowing them to conduct flexible conversations in pursuit of a goal – like selling a product or troubleshooting a technical solution – instead of a brittle questionnaire style of interaction. In this article, I'll cover everything you need to know about natural language processing [AI chatbots](https://botpress.com/blog/ai-chatbot), including: - NLP chatbots vs. rule-based chatbots - Common NLP terms - Benefits of NLP chatbots - Common use cases - How to build your own NLP chatbot ## What is an NLP chatbot? A [natural language processing](https://botpress.com/blog/natural-language-processing-nlp) (NLP) chatbot is an AI-powered conversational software designed to mimic human-like conversations with users. NLP chatbots can be text-based or voice-based. They use NLP to understand the intent of a message, extract necessary information, and generate a helpful response. Many NLP chatbots are [LLM agents](https://botpress.com/blog/llm-agents): software powered by LLMs, but customized by a builder. By using LLMs like OpenAI's GPT, it's easier thank you might think to biuld your own [GPT chatbot](https://botpress.com/blog/what-is-a-gpt-chatbot). Create NLP Chatbots Build custom NLP chatbots [Start now](https://sso.botpress.cloud/registration?ref=blog) ## What’s the difference between an NLP chatbot and a rule-based chatbot? NLP chatbots use AI to mimic human conversation. Traditional chatbots – also known as rule-based chatbots – don't use AI, so their interactions are less flexible. Rule-based chatbots are designed to strictly follow conversational rules set up by their creator. If a user inputs a specific command, a rule-based chatbot will churn out a preformed response. But any user query that falls outside of these rules will be unable to be answered by the rule-based chatbot. ![diagram comparing NLP chatbots and rule-based chatbots](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9/685ee540a2bc36a10c95905a_1.webp) ### NLP chatbots understand natural language NLP chatbots can, of course, understand and interpret natural language. A user can send a message as though they were communicating with another human, and an NLP chatbot can decipher its meaning. That includes: - Understanding spelling and grammatical mistakes - Determining whether a message is a question or an intention - Registering a user’s emotion based on their language This brings NLP chatbots far closer to the realm of natural human interaction. A rule-based chatbot can only respond accurately to a set number of commands. ### NLP chatbots facilitate conversations, not just questionnaires If a chatbot user interacts with a rule-based chatbot, any unexpected input leads to a conversational dead end. Because of their strict programming, conversations with rule-based chatbots often feel like questionnaires: How can I help you today? Which model are you interested in? What is your budget? Rule-based chatbots can often be replaced with a well-documented FAQ page. But since an NLP chatbot can adapt to conversational cues, it can hold a full, complex conversation with users. Deploying AI Agents? Read our Blueprint for AI Agent Implementation [Read Now](https://botpress.com/resources/blueprint-for-ai-agent-implementation?ref=blog) ### NLP chatbots continuously improve The only way for a rule-based chatbot to improve is for a programmer to add more rules. But an NLP chatbot will improve using the data provided by its users. The ability to improve makes an NLP chatbot better at understanding different ways to formulate questions or intent. The more conversations it holds with users, the better its gets at understanding questions and holding a conversation. ## NLP, NLU, and NLG, oh my\! Understanding NLP chatbots comes with an arsenal of acronyms. Though they’re all related, each refers to a specific aspect of communication between machines and humans. ![graphic asset showing 3 components of NLP: NLU and NLG](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9/685ee553fcb521a63b0c31f6_2.webp) ### Natural language processing The broadest term, natural language processing (NLP), is a branch of AI that focuses on the natural language interactions between machines and humans. NLP aims to enable machines to interpret and respond to human language in a way that is meaningful and useful. When referring to NLP, it [includes the subfields](https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/nlp/nlp-vs-nlu-vs-nlg/) of NLU and NLG. ### Natural language understanding [Natural language understanding](https://botpress.com/blog/what-is-natural-language-understanding-nlu) (NLU) is a subfield of NLP. NLU focuses on the machine’s ability to understand the intent behind human input. NLU includes tasks like intent recognition, entity extractions, and sentiment analysis – components that allow a software to understand the text given to it by a human. ### Natural language generation Natural language generation (NLG) is another subfield of NLP. It focuses on making the machine’s response as coherent and contextually appropriate as possible. NLG involves content determination (deciding how to respond to a query), sentence planning, and generating the final text output from the software. ## Benefits of an NLP Chatbot ![6 benefits of an NLP chatbot Scalability, employee support, 24/7 support, reduced costs, integration capabilities, free translation](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9/685ee56420a5accb70116124_3.webp) ### Employee support When an organization uses an NLP chatbot, they’re able to automate tasks that would otherwise be handled by employees. A chatbot might take customer support calls, schedule meetings, or conduct analyses and then deliver the results in a report. When employees spend less time on repetitive tasks, they’re able to focus more of their time on high-level processes – ones that require higher levels of strategy, empathy, or creativity. ### Free translation An NLP chatbot’s language capabilities include translation, allowing organizations to serve users in any language at no extra cost. NLP chatbots are typically powered by large language models (LLMs), which can function across languages. ChatGPT alone can be [used in over 80 different languages](https://botpress.com/blog/list-of-languages-supported-by-chatgpt). When bot builders use a platform to build AI chatbots, they can also build in bespoke translation capabilities. ### 24/7 support One of the benefits of any chatbot is its full-time availability. Since NLP chatbots can handle many interactions from start to finish, employees aren’t always needed to assist in individual inquiries. Since an enterprise chatbot is always alive, that means companies can build lists of leads or service customers at any time of day. ### Scalability By taking over the bulk of user conversations, NLP chatbots allow companies to scale to a degree that would be impossible when relying on employees. NLP chatbots can handle a large number of simultaneous inquiries, speed up processes, and reliably complete a wide range of tasks. When aiming to scale an enterprise, AI automation is a necessity. ### Integration capabilities Peter Gentsch, an AI professor, notes in his book [AI in Marketing, Sales and Service](https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-89957-2): "To the user, chatbots seem to be “intelligent” due to their informative skills. However, chatbots are only as intelligent as the underlying database." To build the highest-value chatbot, it should be integrated with a company’s existing systems and platforms. An NLP chatbot is endlessly more useful if it’s able to take action into systems: updating a CRM, sending an email, notifying an employee. This type of seamless integration into existing business processes requires a) developers to build these integrations between their chatbots and their systems, or b) the use of chatbot platforms that provide built-in integrations to common platforms. ### Reduced costs Companies using AI report a [52% reduction](https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/ai-in-business/) in labor costs. The cost-effectiveness of NLP chatbots is one of their leading benefits – they empower companies to build their operations without ballooning costs. When properly implemented, automating conversational tasks through an NLP chatbot will always lead to a positive ROI, no matter the use case. ## Best Use Cases of NLP Chatbots Because of their flexible nature, NLP chatbots can be used in a wide variety of use cases, from [enterprise chatbots](https://botpress.com/blog/enterprise-chatbots) to [small business AI agents](https://botpress.com/blog/ai-agent-small-businesses). You can find NLP chatbots used in: - [Financial services](https://botpress.com/blog/top-chatbots-financial-services) - [Real estate](https://botpress.com/blog/chatbot-for-real-estate) - Education - [Hotels](https://botpress.com/blog/chatbots-for-hotels) and [restaurants](https://botpress.com/blog/chatbot-for-restaurants) - [Healthcare](https://botpress.com/solutions/healthcare) - [Insurance](https://botpress.com/blog/insurance-chatbots) - Airlines - [Government](https://botpress.com/blog/chatbots-for-government) But thanks to their conversational flexibility, NLP chatbots can be applied in any conversational context. They can be customized to run a D\&D role-playing game, help with math homework, or act as a tour guide. ### Customer support chatbots One of the first widely adopted use cases for chatbots was [customer support bots](https://botpress.com/blog/customer-service-chatbot). And they're still growing in popularity. In fact, [83% of decision makers](https://www.salesforce.com/ca/form/service-cloud/state-of-service-6/?d=pb) say they plan to increase their investment in AI for customer service over the next year. Customer support is a natural use case for NLP chatbots, with their 24/7 and multilingual service. Since the days of traditional rule-based chatbots, customer support teams have offloaded the simplest calls to chatbots. With the introduction of NLP chatbots, AI automation can take care of increasingly complex customer queries, from purchasing assistance to troubleshooting technical difficulties. ### Lead generation chatbots Many use cases for NLP chatbots exist within an [AI-enhanced sales funnel](https://botpress.com/blog/ai-sales-funnel), including lead qualification and [AI lead generation](https://botpress.com/blog/ai-lead-generation). NLP chatbots are perfectly suited for lead gen, given the vast volumes of qualifying conversations that sales and marketing teams must sort through. A chatbot can interact with website visitors, or send messages to contacts by email or other messaging channels. To reach their full potential, NLP chatbots should be integrated with any relevant internal systems. A lead gen chatbot needs to be integrated with a company’s CRM, calendar booking system (like Calendly), and deployed across the most appropriate messaging channels (email, website, or channels like [WhatsApp](https://botpress.com/blog/top-whatsapp-chatbots)). ### Internal employee chatbots While most NLP chatbots are customer-facing, there are a growing number of enterprises adopting NLP chatbots for internal processes. These can include [HR](https://botpress.com/blog/chatbot-for-hr), IT support, or assistance with internal tasks like documentation. These types of chatbots are most common amongst enterprises with large numbers of employees. ## How to Build an NLP Chatbot in 5 Steps While developers can build their own NLP chatbots from scratch, most organizations will use a chatbot platform to build their AI chatbots. A platform allows your team to [build a custom chatbot](https://botpress.com/blog/how-to-build-your-own-ai-chatbot) with the support of built-in integrations, added security, and pre-built features. Here’s the step-by-step guide to building your own NLP chatbot: ![Steps to build an NLP chatbot](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9/685ee579578290aadd37726c_4.webp) ### Step 1: Pick a platform Plenty of enterprises that decided to build their own NLP chatbot from scratch. It can be an appealing choice: full reigns, blank slate, no monthly subscription fee. But few undertake this path for long. Building from scratch is time- and labor-intensive. Plus, it means your chatbot will take much longer to build or be much lower quality – or both. As you pick a platform, keep in mind your company’s unique needs. If you want a platform that doesn’t limit the possibilities of your chatbot, look for an enterprise chatbot platform that has open standards and an extensible stack. If data privacy is your biggest concern, look for a platform that boasts high security standards. If you have a beginner developer team, look for a platform with a user-friendly interface. If you need some inspiration, you can browse our list of [the best chatbot platforms](https://botpress.com/blog/9-best-ai-chatbot-platforms). And if you’re interested in taking a call tomorrow, you can [reach out to our sales team](https://botpress.com/contact-us). ### Step 2: Collect your data If you’re looking to train your chatbot on company information – like HR policies, or customer support transcripts – you’ll need to collect the information you want your chatbot to train on. Not every enterprise uses original data to train a chatbot. Often, advanced prompting is sufficient to design your chatbot’s flows. But if you want a chatbot that takes an extra step to customize your company’s offering, then collecting data and using it to train your chatbot is one way to do it. ### Step 3: Build your chatbot When you pick your chatbot platform, make sure you choose one that comes with enough educational materials to assist your team throughout the build process. For example, we offer [academy courses](https://academy.botpress.com/pages/learn), daily livestreams, and an extensive collection of YouTube tutorials. Bot building can be a difficult task when you’re facing the learning curve – having resources at your fingertips makes the process go far smoother than without. And if your team is new to bot building, most enterprise chatbot platforms have a drag-and-drop visual flow builder that allows for easy visualization of your workflows. ### Step 4: Integrate and customize Chatbots don’t exist in a vacuum. Their purpose isn’t just customer interactions or explaining one set of policies. The most useful NLP chatbots for enterprise are integrated across your company’s systems and platforms. This might mean tables and documents, your website, or other third-party services – think platforms like Hubspot, AWS, Google Analytics, Intercom, Calendly, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Stripe, Mixpanel, Telegram, WhatsApp, or Zendesk. If you use an AI chatbot platform, most of your team’s building time will be spent on perfecting your bot’s integrations, rather than building the chatbot itself. And if you pick a strong platform, it will allow you to customize your chatbot in tone and personality. You won’t need to select specific words, but you can direct when your chatbot should speak apologetically, or what type of language it should use to describe your products. ### Step 5: Deploy One of the best aspects of a chatbot is that it can easily be deployed across any platform or messaging channel. Many enterprises choose to deploy a chatbot not just on their website, but on their social media channels or internal messaging platforms. NLP chatbots are a streamlined way to action a successful omnichannel strategy. Your users can experience the same service across multiple channels, and receive platform-specific help. For example, a customer communication coming from a [WhatsApp chatbot](https://botpress.com/blog/top-whatsapp-chatbots) can ask to change their password on your internal system. ## Deploy a custom NLP chatbot next month The companies that survive the next 5 years will be AI-enhanced. NLP chatbots allow enterprises to scale their business processes with a cost-effectiveness that was previously impossible. Botpress allows companies to build customized, LLM-powered chatbots and AI agents. Our agents are deployed across any use case and integrated with any system or channel. ‍[Start building today.](https://sso.botpress.cloud/registration) It’s free. Or [contact our sales team](https://botpress.com/contact-us) to learn more. Create NLP Chatbots Build custom NLP chatbots [Start now](https://sso.botpress.cloud/registration?ref=blog) ## FAQs ### 1\. What criteria should I use to evaluate NLP chatbot platforms? To evaluate NLP chatbot platforms, focus on core factors like ease of use (for both technical and non-technical users), support for large language models (LLMs), integration options with your existing systems (e.g., CRMs or APIs), scalability, multilingual NLU, and customization flexibility. Documentation and active support are also critical for success. ### 2\. What are the most common integration challenges with NLP chatbots? The most common integration challenges with NLP chatbots include connecting to legacy systems that lack modern APIs and managing changes in backend systems that can break flows. Additionally, authentication and data consistency across platforms complicates integrations. ### 3\. How do open-source platforms compare with commercial ones for NLP chatbot development? Open-source NLP chatbot platforms offer full control, making them ideal for developers who need to customize. However, they often lack the ease-of-use, ready-made integrations, managed hosting, and enterprise support that commercial platforms provide, making commercial options faster for teams with limited engineering resources. ### 4\. Can I switch platforms after I’ve already built a chatbot? Yes, you can switch chatbot platforms after building one, but it involves re-creating conversation flows, re-integrating backend systems, and migrating training data and user memory. While technically feasible, the process requires planning, and it's important to evaluate the new platform's feature set to avoid regression in capability. ### 5\. How do NLP chatbots ensure user data privacy? NLP chatbots ensure user data privacy by encrypting data in transit and at rest and providing granular controls over data storage and retention. The best platforms are compliant with data protection regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or CCPA and allow you to configure consent handling and access logs. 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Readable Markdown	Traditional chatbots were once the bane of our existence – but these days, most are NLP chatbots, able to understand and conduct complex conversations with their users. NLP chatbots are powered by AI, allowing them to conduct flexible conversations in pursuit of a goal – like selling a product or troubleshooting a technical solution – instead of a brittle questionnaire style of interaction. In this article, I'll cover everything you need to know about natural language processing [AI chatbots](https://botpress.com/blog/ai-chatbot), including: - NLP chatbots vs. rule-based chatbots - Common NLP terms - Benefits of NLP chatbots - Common use cases - How to build your own NLP chatbot ## What is an NLP chatbot? A [natural language processing](https://botpress.com/blog/natural-language-processing-nlp) (NLP) chatbot is an AI-powered conversational software designed to mimic human-like conversations with users. NLP chatbots can be text-based or voice-based. They use NLP to understand the intent of a message, extract necessary information, and generate a helpful response. Many NLP chatbots are [LLM agents](https://botpress.com/blog/llm-agents): software powered by LLMs, but customized by a builder. By using LLMs like OpenAI's GPT, it's easier thank you might think to biuld your own [GPT chatbot](https://botpress.com/blog/what-is-a-gpt-chatbot). Create NLP Chatbots Build custom NLP chatbots [Start now](https://sso.botpress.cloud/registration?ref=blog) ## What’s the difference between an NLP chatbot and a rule-based chatbot? NLP chatbots use AI to mimic human conversation. Traditional chatbots – also known as rule-based chatbots – don't use AI, so their interactions are less flexible. Rule-based chatbots are designed to strictly follow conversational rules set up by their creator. If a user inputs a specific command, a rule-based chatbot will churn out a preformed response. But any user query that falls outside of these rules will be unable to be answered by the rule-based chatbot. ![diagram comparing NLP chatbots and rule-based chatbots](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9/685ee540a2bc36a10c95905a_1.webp) ### NLP chatbots understand natural language NLP chatbots can, of course, understand and interpret natural language. A user can send a message as though they were communicating with another human, and an NLP chatbot can decipher its meaning. That includes: - Understanding spelling and grammatical mistakes - Determining whether a message is a question or an intention - Registering a user’s emotion based on their language This brings NLP chatbots far closer to the realm of natural human interaction. A rule-based chatbot can only respond accurately to a set number of commands. ### NLP chatbots facilitate conversations, not just questionnaires If a chatbot user interacts with a rule-based chatbot, any unexpected input leads to a conversational dead end. Because of their strict programming, conversations with rule-based chatbots often feel like questionnaires: How can I help you today? Which model are you interested in? What is your budget? Rule-based chatbots can often be replaced with a well-documented FAQ page. But since an NLP chatbot can adapt to conversational cues, it can hold a full, complex conversation with users. Deploying AI Agents? Read our Blueprint for AI Agent Implementation [Read Now](https://botpress.com/resources/blueprint-for-ai-agent-implementation?ref=blog) ### NLP chatbots continuously improve The only way for a rule-based chatbot to improve is for a programmer to add more rules. But an NLP chatbot will improve using the data provided by its users. The ability to improve makes an NLP chatbot better at understanding different ways to formulate questions or intent. The more conversations it holds with users, the better its gets at understanding questions and holding a conversation. ## NLP, NLU, and NLG, oh my\! Understanding NLP chatbots comes with an arsenal of acronyms. Though they’re all related, each refers to a specific aspect of communication between machines and humans. ![graphic asset showing 3 components of NLP: NLU and NLG](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9/685ee553fcb521a63b0c31f6_2.webp) ### Natural language processing The broadest term, natural language processing (NLP), is a branch of AI that focuses on the natural language interactions between machines and humans. NLP aims to enable machines to interpret and respond to human language in a way that is meaningful and useful. When referring to NLP, it [includes the subfields](https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/nlp/nlp-vs-nlu-vs-nlg/) of NLU and NLG. ### Natural language understanding [Natural language understanding](https://botpress.com/blog/what-is-natural-language-understanding-nlu) (NLU) is a subfield of NLP. NLU focuses on the machine’s ability to understand the intent behind human input. NLU includes tasks like intent recognition, entity extractions, and sentiment analysis – components that allow a software to understand the text given to it by a human. ### Natural language generation Natural language generation (NLG) is another subfield of NLP. It focuses on making the machine’s response as coherent and contextually appropriate as possible. NLG involves content determination (deciding how to respond to a query), sentence planning, and generating the final text output from the software. ## Benefits of an NLP Chatbot ![6 benefits of an NLP chatbot Scalability, employee support, 24/7 support, reduced costs, integration capabilities, free translation](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9/685ee56420a5accb70116124_3.webp) ### Employee support When an organization uses an NLP chatbot, they’re able to automate tasks that would otherwise be handled by employees. A chatbot might take customer support calls, schedule meetings, or conduct analyses and then deliver the results in a report. When employees spend less time on repetitive tasks, they’re able to focus more of their time on high-level processes – ones that require higher levels of strategy, empathy, or creativity. ### Free translation An NLP chatbot’s language capabilities include translation, allowing organizations to serve users in any language at no extra cost. NLP chatbots are typically powered by large language models (LLMs), which can function across languages. ChatGPT alone can be [used in over 80 different languages](https://botpress.com/blog/list-of-languages-supported-by-chatgpt). When bot builders use a platform to build AI chatbots, they can also build in bespoke translation capabilities. ### 24/7 support One of the benefits of any chatbot is its full-time availability. Since NLP chatbots can handle many interactions from start to finish, employees aren’t always needed to assist in individual inquiries. Since an enterprise chatbot is always alive, that means companies can build lists of leads or service customers at any time of day. ### Scalability By taking over the bulk of user conversations, NLP chatbots allow companies to scale to a degree that would be impossible when relying on employees. NLP chatbots can handle a large number of simultaneous inquiries, speed up processes, and reliably complete a wide range of tasks. When aiming to scale an enterprise, AI automation is a necessity. ### Integration capabilities Peter Gentsch, an AI professor, notes in his book [AI in Marketing, Sales and Service](https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-89957-2): "To the user, chatbots seem to be “intelligent” due to their informative skills. However, chatbots are only as intelligent as the underlying database." To build the highest-value chatbot, it should be integrated with a company’s existing systems and platforms. An NLP chatbot is endlessly more useful if it’s able to take action into systems: updating a CRM, sending an email, notifying an employee. This type of seamless integration into existing business processes requires a) developers to build these integrations between their chatbots and their systems, or b) the use of chatbot platforms that provide built-in integrations to common platforms. ### Reduced costs Companies using AI report a [52% reduction](https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/ai-in-business/) in labor costs. The cost-effectiveness of NLP chatbots is one of their leading benefits – they empower companies to build their operations without ballooning costs. When properly implemented, automating conversational tasks through an NLP chatbot will always lead to a positive ROI, no matter the use case. ## Best Use Cases of NLP Chatbots Because of their flexible nature, NLP chatbots can be used in a wide variety of use cases, from [enterprise chatbots](https://botpress.com/blog/enterprise-chatbots) to [small business AI agents](https://botpress.com/blog/ai-agent-small-businesses). You can find NLP chatbots used in: - [Financial services](https://botpress.com/blog/top-chatbots-financial-services) - [Real estate](https://botpress.com/blog/chatbot-for-real-estate) - Education - [Hotels](https://botpress.com/blog/chatbots-for-hotels) and [restaurants](https://botpress.com/blog/chatbot-for-restaurants) - [Healthcare](https://botpress.com/solutions/healthcare) - [Insurance](https://botpress.com/blog/insurance-chatbots) - Airlines - [Government](https://botpress.com/blog/chatbots-for-government) But thanks to their conversational flexibility, NLP chatbots can be applied in any conversational context. They can be customized to run a D\&D role-playing game, help with math homework, or act as a tour guide. ### Customer support chatbots One of the first widely adopted use cases for chatbots was [customer support bots](https://botpress.com/blog/customer-service-chatbot). And they're still growing in popularity. In fact, [83% of decision makers](https://www.salesforce.com/ca/form/service-cloud/state-of-service-6/?d=pb) say they plan to increase their investment in AI for customer service over the next year. Customer support is a natural use case for NLP chatbots, with their 24/7 and multilingual service. Since the days of traditional rule-based chatbots, customer support teams have offloaded the simplest calls to chatbots. With the introduction of NLP chatbots, AI automation can take care of increasingly complex customer queries, from purchasing assistance to troubleshooting technical difficulties. ### Lead generation chatbots Many use cases for NLP chatbots exist within an [AI-enhanced sales funnel](https://botpress.com/blog/ai-sales-funnel), including lead qualification and [AI lead generation](https://botpress.com/blog/ai-lead-generation). NLP chatbots are perfectly suited for lead gen, given the vast volumes of qualifying conversations that sales and marketing teams must sort through. A chatbot can interact with website visitors, or send messages to contacts by email or other messaging channels. To reach their full potential, NLP chatbots should be integrated with any relevant internal systems. A lead gen chatbot needs to be integrated with a company’s CRM, calendar booking system (like Calendly), and deployed across the most appropriate messaging channels (email, website, or channels like [WhatsApp](https://botpress.com/blog/top-whatsapp-chatbots)). ### Internal employee chatbots While most NLP chatbots are customer-facing, there are a growing number of enterprises adopting NLP chatbots for internal processes. These can include [HR](https://botpress.com/blog/chatbot-for-hr), IT support, or assistance with internal tasks like documentation. These types of chatbots are most common amongst enterprises with large numbers of employees. ## How to Build an NLP Chatbot in 5 Steps While developers can build their own NLP chatbots from scratch, most organizations will use a chatbot platform to build their AI chatbots. A platform allows your team to [build a custom chatbot](https://botpress.com/blog/how-to-build-your-own-ai-chatbot) with the support of built-in integrations, added security, and pre-built features. Here’s the step-by-step guide to building your own NLP chatbot: ![Steps to build an NLP chatbot](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/637e5037f3ef83b76dcfc8f9/685ee579578290aadd37726c_4.webp) ### Step 1: Pick a platform Plenty of enterprises that decided to build their own NLP chatbot from scratch. It can be an appealing choice: full reigns, blank slate, no monthly subscription fee. But few undertake this path for long. Building from scratch is time- and labor-intensive. Plus, it means your chatbot will take much longer to build or be much lower quality – or both. As you pick a platform, keep in mind your company’s unique needs. If you want a platform that doesn’t limit the possibilities of your chatbot, look for an enterprise chatbot platform that has open standards and an extensible stack. If data privacy is your biggest concern, look for a platform that boasts high security standards. If you have a beginner developer team, look for a platform with a user-friendly interface. If you need some inspiration, you can browse our list of [the best chatbot platforms](https://botpress.com/blog/9-best-ai-chatbot-platforms). And if you’re interested in taking a call tomorrow, you can [reach out to our sales team](https://botpress.com/contact-us). ### Step 2: Collect your data If you’re looking to train your chatbot on company information – like HR policies, or customer support transcripts – you’ll need to collect the information you want your chatbot to train on. Not every enterprise uses original data to train a chatbot. Often, advanced prompting is sufficient to design your chatbot’s flows. But if you want a chatbot that takes an extra step to customize your company’s offering, then collecting data and using it to train your chatbot is one way to do it. ### Step 3: Build your chatbot When you pick your chatbot platform, make sure you choose one that comes with enough educational materials to assist your team throughout the build process. For example, we offer [academy courses](https://academy.botpress.com/pages/learn), daily livestreams, and an extensive collection of YouTube tutorials. Bot building can be a difficult task when you’re facing the learning curve – having resources at your fingertips makes the process go far smoother than without. And if your team is new to bot building, most enterprise chatbot platforms have a drag-and-drop visual flow builder that allows for easy visualization of your workflows. ### Step 4: Integrate and customize Chatbots don’t exist in a vacuum. Their purpose isn’t just customer interactions or explaining one set of policies. The most useful NLP chatbots for enterprise are integrated across your company’s systems and platforms. This might mean tables and documents, your website, or other third-party services – think platforms like Hubspot, AWS, Google Analytics, Intercom, Calendly, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Stripe, Mixpanel, Telegram, WhatsApp, or Zendesk. If you use an AI chatbot platform, most of your team’s building time will be spent on perfecting your bot’s integrations, rather than building the chatbot itself. And if you pick a strong platform, it will allow you to customize your chatbot in tone and personality. You won’t need to select specific words, but you can direct when your chatbot should speak apologetically, or what type of language it should use to describe your products. ### Step 5: Deploy One of the best aspects of a chatbot is that it can easily be deployed across any platform or messaging channel. Many enterprises choose to deploy a chatbot not just on their website, but on their social media channels or internal messaging platforms. NLP chatbots are a streamlined way to action a successful omnichannel strategy. Your users can experience the same service across multiple channels, and receive platform-specific help. For example, a customer communication coming from a [WhatsApp chatbot](https://botpress.com/blog/top-whatsapp-chatbots) can ask to change their password on your internal system. ## Deploy a custom NLP chatbot next month The companies that survive the next 5 years will be AI-enhanced. NLP chatbots allow enterprises to scale their business processes with a cost-effectiveness that was previously impossible. Botpress allows companies to build customized, LLM-powered chatbots and AI agents. Our agents are deployed across any use case and integrated with any system or channel. ‍[Start building today.](https://sso.botpress.cloud/registration) It’s free. Or [contact our sales team](https://botpress.com/contact-us) to learn more. Create NLP Chatbots Build custom NLP chatbots [Start now](https://sso.botpress.cloud/registration?ref=blog) ## FAQs ### 1\. What criteria should I use to evaluate NLP chatbot platforms? To evaluate NLP chatbot platforms, focus on core factors like ease of use (for both technical and non-technical users), support for large language models (LLMs), integration options with your existing systems (e.g., CRMs or APIs), scalability, multilingual NLU, and customization flexibility. Documentation and active support are also critical for success. ### 2\. What are the most common integration challenges with NLP chatbots? The most common integration challenges with NLP chatbots include connecting to legacy systems that lack modern APIs and managing changes in backend systems that can break flows. Additionally, authentication and data consistency across platforms complicates integrations. ### 3\. How do open-source platforms compare with commercial ones for NLP chatbot development? Open-source NLP chatbot platforms offer full control, making them ideal for developers who need to customize. However, they often lack the ease-of-use, ready-made integrations, managed hosting, and enterprise support that commercial platforms provide, making commercial options faster for teams with limited engineering resources. ### 4\. Can I switch platforms after I’ve already built a chatbot? Yes, you can switch chatbot platforms after building one, but it involves re-creating conversation flows, re-integrating backend systems, and migrating training data and user memory. While technically feasible, the process requires planning, and it's important to evaluate the new platform's feature set to avoid regression in capability. ### 5\. How do NLP chatbots ensure user data privacy? NLP chatbots ensure user data privacy by encrypting data in transit and at rest and providing granular controls over data storage and retention. The best platforms are compliant with data protection regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or CCPA and allow you to configure consent handling and access logs.
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