The number of people using messaging apps is set to hit two billion by 2018, so it’s no wonder brands want to get in on the action. Major tech players are touting chatbots as the next big thing, but can they really revolutionise online interactions, or are they just part of an industry-driven pipe dream?

The artificial intelligence used for chabots is getting more advanced every day, yet what they boast in machine learning, they lack in emotional intelligence, which can result in confusion when talking to humans. But empathetic bots could help robotics shed its dystopian public image.

Chatbots have become smart – and they’ll soon be slick to boot. As more advanced bots learn how to be relatable and persuasive, charming AIs could be peddling products as well as any salesperson – ideal, given that studies suggest they're quite socially awkward at present.

Robots in group chats are making awkward comments, bringing up the question of how to teach a bot the art of discretion. Although developers are working on the issue, the shortcomings of AI in social situations resonate with a wider public scepticism of non-human service.