India, Nov. 2 -- The journey of chatbots began in the 1960s with Eliza, a simple programme that mimicked a therapist using pattern-matching. In the 1970s, Parry pushed boundaries by simulating a person with paranoid schizophrenia, hinting at the potential of conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI) in mental health.

The 1980s and 1990s witnessed the rise of text-based bots, such as Dr Sbaitso, which relied on scripted responses. These systems were functional but far from intelligent. Things began to shift with advances in machine learning and natural language processing, leading to more adaptive, context-aware interactions.

Today's AI chatbots have outgrown their scripted past. Imagine a customer in Mumbai asking about a return polic...