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CHATBOTS EXPLAINED: Why Facebook and other tech companies think they're the biggest thing since the iPhone

Biz CarsonApr 13, 2016, 00:27 IST

Not the robot in question but you get the idea.Flickr/Peyri Herrera

Chatbots are the future, whether we're ready for them or not.

On Tuesday, Facebook launched Bots for Messenger, a step that could define the next decade in the same way that the Apple App Store launch paved the path for companies like Uber to build a business off your phone. Its new messaging platform will help businesses build intelligent chatbots to let them communicate in Messenger.

"Today could be the beginning of a new era," said Facebook Messenger chief David Marcus.

So what are these chatbots, and why is everyone obsessed?