Conversational AI
Microsoft's Azure AI platform aims to empower developers to innovate and accelerate their projects. Specifically for conversational AI, Azure offers the Azure Bot Service and Bot Framework SDK and tools enabling developers to build rich conversational experiences. Additionally, developers can use Azure Cognitive Services (domain-specific AI services available as APIs) like Language Understanding (LUIS), QnA Maker, and Speech service to add the abilities for your chatbot to understand and speak with your end users.
Common scenarios for conversational AI or chatbot solutions include:
- Informational Q&A chatbot
- Customer service or support chatbot
- IT help desk or HR chatbot
- E-commerce or sales chatbot
- Speech-enabled devices
Note
Microsoft offers Power Virtual Agents, built on top of the Bot Framework, for developers who want to build a chatbot with a primarily no-code or low-code experience. Additionally, developers neither host the bot themselves nor control the natural language or other AI models with Cognitive Services.
Checklist
Familiarize yourself with Azure Bot Service and Microsoft Bot Framework.
Bot Framework is open-source offering that provides an SDK (available in C#, JavaScript, Python, and Java) to help you design, build, and test your bot. It also offers a free visual authoring canvas in Bot Framework Composer and a testing tool in Bot Framework Emulator.
Azure Bot Service is a dedicated service within Azure that allows you to host or publish your bot in Azure and connect to popular channels.
Learn about principles of bot design
One of the simplest ways to get started is to use QnA Maker, part of Azure Cognitive Services, which can intelligently convert an FAQ document or website into a Q&A experience in minutes.
Download and use Bot Framework SDK and tools for bot development.
- 5-minute quickstarts for Bot Framework Composer
- Build and test bots with Bot Framework SDK (C#, JavaScript, Python)
Learn how to add Cognitive Services to make your bot even more intelligent.
- A developer's guide to building AI applications (e-book)
- Learn more about Cognitive Services
Learn how to build your own Virtual Assistant with Bot Framework solution accelerators, and select a common set of skills such as calendar, e-mail, point of interest, and to-do.