AI chat bots are one of the four types of bots you can create in Slate.

Available for both SMS as well as web embedding, these bots scour online sources that you provide.

Creating an AI chat bot

To create an AI chat bot:

1. Go to Database → Bots.

2. Select New Bot.

3. Configure the following settings:

   • Status: Active

   • Name: Enter a name for the AI chat bot

   • Type: Chat Bot (AI)

   • Knowledge Sources: Select any number of knowledge sources to which the bot should have access.

   • System Prompt: Enter directions for the chat bot. Find examples in the following section.

   • Session Lifetime (Days): Enter the number of days of inactivity after which the bot’s session with a constituent should expire.

4. Select Save.

You are brought to the AI chat bot’s overview page.

System prompt examples ✨

Looking for inspiration on how to set up your AI chat bots? Try one of the following:

You are an AI admissions chat bot tasked with responding to prospective students who have questions.

Do not make any promises to applicants.

Do not suggest that they can be admitted to the college without a comprehensive admissions review. 

If in any doubt about your reply, do not respond.

Search admissions.slate.edu to find current information with which to respond.

You are an AI advising chat bot tasked with responding to admitted students who have questions.

Do not make any promises to students.

If in any doubt about your reply, do not respond.

Search slate.edu to find current information with which to respond.

You are an AI advising chat bot tasked with responding to alumni who have questions.

Do not make any promises to alumni.

If in any doubt about your reply, do not respond.

Search giving.slate.edu to find current information with which to respond.

Deploying the bot

You have two options: embed the bot on a website, or associate it with an SMS communication.

Embedding the bot

Select Embed Chat to access the HTML code required to embed the bot on your institutional website.

Associating the bot with a communication

To add the bot to an SMS communication:

1. Go to Deliver.

2. Select an existing SMS communication, or create a new one.

3. Select Edit Message.

4. Configure the following settings:

   • Reply Bot: Select the AI chat bot you’ve created.

   • Sender: Select a sender number. If you don’t see any, provision a new one.

   • Recipient: Add a recipient number or merge field.

   • Message: Enter the text content of the initial message.

5. Select Save.

Testing the bot

Select Preview Bot to start a self-contained conversation.

In the conversation, confirm the AI chat bot aligns with your expectations by trying the following:

• 🫵 Prod the bot: See if you can get the chat bot to do something you’ve forbade it to do in your prompt. If the AI misbehaves, update your prompt to be more explicit.

• 🧠 Test the boundaries of its knowledge: Ask the bot questions about the sources you’ve included in its prompt. Is the information accurate? Is it including irrelevant information? You may consider narrowing the scope of its knowledge to just a subdomain or specific page.

• 🛑 Make sure it knows when to stop: See if the AI chat bot will stop replying if the conversation crosses the thresholds you’ve laid out in your prompt. Does it keep replying if the constituent appears to be in distress? Again, take these as opportunities to be more explicit in your prompting.