Prof. Christian Terwiesch, Mack Institute co-director, and Lennart Meincke, Mack Institute predoctoral fellow, have co-authored a new working paper on chatbot design and workflow integration, the latest in Prof. Terwiesch’s series of papers on practical applications of Generative AI. The paper devises a framework for chatbot implementation based on varying levels of chatbot autonomy and human oversight.
From the paper’s introduction:
Whether assisting travelers with inquiries about their upcoming flight or destination, providing mental health support, helping students with homework assignments, or aiding in financial planning, chatbots powered by generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in the form of large language models (LLMs) can help deliver efficient, scalable, and personalized customer support. Building an effective chatbot involves navigating a series of design decisions that influence user experience, technical implementations, and various legal and ethical issues. This white paper outlines a general framework for the functionality of chatbots and their operational use. Our aim is to help executives navigate the complex decisions that need to be made when leveraging the power of LLMs to support their customers, be they travelers, patients, students, or investors.