On Facebook's Messenger Platform, UNICEF invites people to become a 'U-Reporter' when they chat about issues with its artificially intelligent bot.
While there are an overwhelming number of world issues to be talked about, the bot begins with a selection of three topics that can be further investigated with a multiple choice-style response. For instance, the bot may prompt: "Please select what you would like to talk about today: (A) Zika, (B) Bullying (C) Aids" and follow up with a question on this topic like: "Do you think you can be infected with Zika in your community?"
Since the launch of Facebook's Messenger Platform, bots have been introduced as a new way for more than 900 million Messenger users to interact with their favorite brands on their mobile devices in a chat-based format.
Humanitarian Advocacy Bots
UNICEF's Facebook Messenger Bot Offers a Place to Chat About Issues
Trend Themes
1. Chat-based Advocacy - The trend of using chat-based platforms to promote and discuss social issues presents opportunities for organizations to engage and mobilize a wider audience.
2. Artificial Intelligence in Advocacy - The incorporation of AI bots in humanitarian advocacy allows for more efficient communication and information dissemination, enabling real-time engagement with users.
3. Personalized Engagement with Users - By offering multiple-choice options and tailored follow-up questions, advocacy bots provide personalized and interactive experiences that encourage users to actively participate in discussions about important global issues.
Industry Implications
1. Social Media - The social media industry can leverage chat-based platforms and AI bots to enhance user engagement and facilitate conversations around social and humanitarian issues.
2. Nonprofit and Advocacy Organizations - Nonprofit and advocacy organizations can utilize AI bots as a tool for efficient communication, raising awareness, and mobilizing supporters for their causes.
3. Technology and Artificial Intelligence - The integration of AI bots in advocacy presents disruptive innovation opportunities within the technology industry, allowing for advancements in natural language processing and conversation analysis.