Volvo deploys chatbot inside WhatsApp

Interesting piece in AdAge about the story behind the chatbot built into one of Meta’s flagship properties.

As part of a larger push to bring AI into opportunities for advertisers, Meta is helping brands create chatbots that combine developments in virtual assistant technology with the reach offered through its popular messaging apps.

One such brand is Volvo, which launched a chatbot on WhatsApp earlier this month. The automaker has centered the effort around helping consumers learn more about its new electric vehicle, EX30. The bot can provide details on the car, relay updated information on price and availability, coordinate reservations and answer other miscellaneous questions.

While its focus may be simple, the assistant required roughly six months of development—including a nearly two-month launch delay—during which Volvo worked alongside Meta to fine-tune its personality, safety parameters and understanding of company data. The process was described in detail to Ad Age by Volvo’s Alexander Dramountanis, offering brands a behind-the-scenes look at the opportunities and challenges in building a custom AI chatbot.

“There's a lot of manual labor to actually make sure that we test it and that the consumer does get a seamless experience,” said Dramountanis, Volvo’s U.S. director of brand strategy, media and planning.

Full story at Adage.