Chances are very good these days that your online hunt for a new pair of funky-but-chic shoes or your search for an answer to an urgent customer service question will occur with the help of a chatbot or digital assistant. Already enjoying wide adoption, digital assistants are destined to become even more prevalent. As the use of digital assistants expands, so do the opportunities for developers with the necessary skills.

In this episode, you’ll meet three people among the vanguard of those developing digital assistants. Oracle ACE Director Mia Urman, the founder and CEO of AuraPlayer, was deeply involved in the development of Kbot, the chatbot developed to respond to questions from attendees at the 2019 ODTUG KScope event in Seattle. David Callaghan, senior developer at Hermes, a UK-based parcel delivery company, led the development team behind Holly, the AI entity that has revolutionized customer service at Hermes. Grant Ronald, director of product management within the Oracle Digital Assistant development team, had an active role in Holly’s creation.

In this conversation, you’ll learn about what goes into the design and development of a chatbot, the challenges encountered along the way, and the unique characteristics that define a great digital assistant. You’ll also learn how to celebrate a chatbot’s birthday.