PyOhio
Conversational Interfaces for Chatbots and Artificial Intelligence
By
Don Holloway
Attendees will see concepts for conversational interfaces used to create chatbots, and python libraries and code used to create them. Conversational interfaces are increasingly becoming a preferred way for users to engage with information, offering a more personalized user experience. The ability to understand user’s intent and take action makes it a good match for AI.
Saturday 4:30 p.m.–5 p.m. in Barbie Tootle
Attendees will get an understanding of key concepts for conversational interfaces which are used to create chatbots, as well as, some examples of the python libraries and code which can be used to create them.
Conversational interfaces are increasingly becoming a preferred way for users to engage with information. This is particularly true for younger users. Conversational interfaces offer a more personalized user experience, as well as, a means to walk a user through a potentially complex series of requirements.
That ability to determine the user’s intent, combined with the ability to step them through a series of relevant questions makes it particularly well suited for interfacing with artificial intelligence systems which often require precisely structured input to deliver meaningful insight.
The presentation will provide an overview of conversational interfaces, integration with front end communications channels, and back end artificial intelligence systems.
An example will be shown which illustrates the end to end concepts covered. The presentation will use RASA Core, an open source Python machine learning based dialogue engine for conversational software, to show the process and benefits for training data on specific domains. The example will show the framework integrated with Twitter and Facebook messenger as communications channels, and the ability to direct actions to multiple AI backends.
Don Holloway
A veteran of both the music and telecommunications industries, Don Holloway is a Vice President for Mavenir, a leading supplier of software for the telecommunications industry.
Obsessed with music and technology from an early age, Don was involved in early development of the computer music labs at Columbia and Princeton Universities, and helped commercialize music technologies that included FM digital synthesis, digital recording, and in-ear monitoring. He worked with a broad range of musicians, such as Bonjovi, Celine Dion, Stevie Wonder, Peter Gabriel, and other leading pop artists, but also with commercial electronics research and development at the RCA David Sarnoff Labs and AT&T’s Bell Labs.
His work in the telecommunications industry has included stints at Bell Labs, in addition to his current role at Mavenir. He has been involved with automation for ATM and frame relay provisioning, mobile application ecosystems, and enterprise mobile network initiatives. Don is currently focused on helping to create the next generation of messaging technology which will replace SMS.
Don has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the Thomas Edison State College in New Jersey, and an MBA from Lehigh University. Don lives with his wife Karen, two dogs, and various combinations of his children, friends, and family at their home in Newtown, Pennsylvania. He is also a proud member of the Osage tribe.
