There is a general perception—in the United States, at least—that workers are becoming less efficient at what they do, despite all the useful IT tools they have. Information overload, coupled with myriad distractions, has made it difficult to stay focused, and workers are using more applications than ever. In fact, SkyHigh Networks research indicates that an average employee actively uses 30 applications for work, including eight collaboration services, five file-sharing services and four content-sharing services. Shifting from app to app creates a chaotic work environment that seriously hinders productivity. This is where bots, or virtual assistants, can help. Bots are lightweight programs that connect to business applications via APIs to perform relevant tasks made by a given user. Connect bots with artificial intelligence and natural language processing, and they can provide enhanced communication and integration that make jobs easier. In industry researcher Radicati Group and Kore, a new-gen bots-based messaging platform, offer useful information about the types of functions bots of the future should be able to do.
- eWeek