Many companies offer apps that use conversational UI. This revolutionizes user interactions, enabling seamless communication through chatbots or voice conversations and voice assistants. By leveraging natural language processing (NLP) and artificial intelligence (AI), apps that use conversational UI enhance user experience with personalized responses. From customer service bots to language learning platforms, conversational UI exemplifies the future of user interface design. Embracing this technology can elevate apps to offer intuitive interactions and quick answers, ultimately providing a more human-like interaction for users.
Why Conversational UI is Important
Conversational UI is crucial as it enhances user experience through natural language interactions. Leveraging conversational AI and NLP, apps can provide personalized customer service and quick answers. This approach not only simplifies interactions but also gathers valuable customer data. By integrating conversational UI, apps can cater to the user's needs effectively, improving engagement and satisfaction. In today's digital landscape, prioritizing conversational UI design sets the stage for the future of app development. Apps that use conversational UI can meet the evolving demands of users.
Types of Conversational Interfaces
How does conversational UI take shape? Here are some of the different ways.
Voice Command Integration
Voice-based interfaces like Alexa and Google Assistant leverage advanced speech recognition technology to process natural language inputs. These systems convert spoken commands into actionable data through sophisticated audio processing algorithms. High-accuracy voice recognition enables fluid interaction without requiring users to modify their natural speaking patterns.
Text-Based Chat Implementation
Chatbot platforms integrated into messaging services deliver scalable conversational experiences. These systems process text inputs in real-time while maintaining contextual awareness across multiple exchanges. The implementation focuses on rapid response times and consistent interaction quality even under high user loads.
Natural Language Processing Architecture
NLP systems form the core intelligence layer, analyzing both voice and text inputs to extract user intent. The processing pipeline includes entity recognition, sentiment analysis, and context management components. This enables the system to understand complex queries and maintain coherent conversations across multiple turns.
Response Generation Framework
The interface generates contextually appropriate responses by combining pre-defined templates with dynamic content generation. Advanced language models ensure natural-sounding outputs while maintaining accuracy and relevance. Response selection algorithms factor in conversation history and user preferences to deliver personalized interactions.
Whether through voice or text, these interfaces prioritize intuitive interaction flows and minimal friction. Clear feedback mechanisms help users understand system capabilities and limitations. Continuous monitoring of user engagement metrics drives ongoing refinement of conversation patterns and response quality.
10 Apps That Use Conversational UI
Here are 10 apps that use conversational UI across many industries and to varying extents.
1. Quartz News App
The Quartz app’s interface is noticeably different from other news apps in that instead of scrolling through a graphical interface of stories; it’s you and the bot having a conversation. The messages from Quartz tell you about the latest news stories in the form of text, photos, GIFs, links, and even 3D objects that are viewable in augmented reality. Once you receive a message, you decide if you want to hear more about that particular story or not. Further, you can decide which alerts you want to receive or if you want to snooze them temporarily. It aims to be a more personal and convenient way for users to stay in the loop.
2. Penny Personal Finance App
Penny is a personal finance bot that lives in the Penny App. Through a chat-based interface, users talk with the light-hearted Penny to get insights on their finances and tips on how to reach their goals.
The way it works is, the user connects their bank and/or credit card account(s) and then Penny can provide alerts, analysis, and answers to questions. The main goal of app creator Friendly Finances, Inc. is to make managing finances more user-friendly and less intimidating for people.
3. Duolingo Language Learning App
Duolingo is an app to help users learn a new language, and it has over 200 million users. It offers bite-sized lessons that get progressively harder as you advance. Additionally, there is a section where you can practice having a real conversation with the help of bots. The bots react differently to thousands of possible answers.
Often the hardest part of learning a language is practicing. The Duolingo Bot can help remove that obstacle, reinforcing the users’ newly-learned knowledge.
4. Lark Healthcare App
Lark is a virtual coaching platform that helps healthcare organizations to prevent and manage chronic diseases in their members such as diabetes and hypertension. It does so using AI made after six years of research and development with the world’s top health and behavior experts from Harvard and Stanford.
How does it work? Take, for example, a person with high blood pressure. Lark will send the person a blood pressure monitor. The AI will track and analyze the data from the monitor. Then, it will send messages to update the person on how they are doing; high, low, or on track. It will also provide best practices on how to improve, will send reminders, and is able to connect the person to a live nurse if needed.
The Lark App provides members with more personal attention and care while saving care teams an average of 80% in operational and medical costs. Further, it provides organizations with unprecedented amounts of data about their members.
Lark’s Health AI was named the best app of 2016 by Google and the company was named one of the “Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in the World” by Business Insider. What’s even more interesting is that the CDC formally recognized Lark’s diabetes program as capable of fully replacing a live health care professional.
5. Operator Mobile Commerce App
Operator is a shopping app that was created by Uber’s co-founder Garrett Camp. It allows users to search for specific products by sending a text message. Further, users can chat with bots for answers to general questions or shopping experts for help with more specific questions. It aims to be the third wave of commerce, where you can buy from home but with the personal assistance as if you were in a brick-and-mortar store. Chatbots and humans work together to help Operator reach this goal.
6. Starbucks Retail App
The Starbucks iPhone app allows you to do many things like find stores, earn rewards, send gifts, and, as of earlier this year, order by interacting with a chatbot. The AI assistant’s name is “My Starbucks barista."
In addition to taking orders, it can also clarify menu items and prices. After the order is placed, the bot confirms the pick-up location and payment method before sending it to the designated store. This helps to streamline the ordering and customer service process for Starbucks; maybe too good as baristas reported getting backed up in making drinks as a result.
7. Woebot Mental Health App
The Woebot app houses a talk therapy chatbot developed by a team of AI experts and Stanford psychologists. It helps people to manage their mental health through games, curated videos, questions, daily conversations, and mood tracking. While it mostly asks questions, it can provide personal responses for up to 10 minutes and does so by tracing branches of a decision tree.
The creators say that this can help those who don’t have the time, money, or desire to speak with a human therapist. Further, it offers anonymity that is not available when speaking with another human; no fear of judgments.
8. Uber: Ridesharing in Facebook Messenger
Uber has transformed transportation since its launch in 2009 and decided to make it even easier for people to request rides at the end of 2015. Using it’s own API, Uber enabled the requesting of rides within Facebook Messenger.
There’s no longer the need to download the Uber app or even leave FB Messenger. Once a ride is ordered, the Uber bot will send you messages to confirm your request and let you know the status of your ride. This makes the user experience seamless.
9. Google Messages
Google Messages is an instant messaging mobile app that saw large adoption rates in 2020, despite having been around since 2009. As the main player in the search engine and internet arena, Google has some know-how when it comes to machine learning and search. Simply ask the chatbot anything you need to know while in a conversation (i.e., movie times, directions, how to make sushi, etc.) and get a quick answer.
10. Bank of America Finance Management App
Lastly, Bank of America has its own virtual assistant bot named Erica to help customers make smart financial decisions. Users will find Erica in the mobile app and can chat with her via text message or voice. She will analyze spending, make suggestions, make payments, check balances, and more. The bank says she’ll help them to expand their one-on-one customer service and will offer advice to all that is usually restricted only to top-tier customers. What do you think? Pretty cool, right? We think so. Apps that use conversational UI are disrupting many industries and enabling a new level of service, scalability, and even savings that weren’t previously possible.
Challenges in Implementing Conversational UI
Considering adding conversational UI to your website or app? Here's what you need to know.
Natural Language Understanding
Natural language understanding (NLP) forms the foundation of effective conversational interfaces. Modern NLP techniques must accurately parse user intent, handle contextual nuances, and maintain conversation flow across multiple turns. The system needs robust entity recognition to extract key information from user inputs while managing ambiguity and variations in natural speech patterns.
Speech Recognition Integration
For voice-enabled interfaces, implementing reliable speech recognition requires careful attention to accuracy and performance optimization. The system must handle different accents, speaking styles, and background noise conditions while maintaining low latency. Real-time processing capabilities ensure smooth interaction without noticeable delays that could frustrate users.
Response Generation and Quality
Generating contextually appropriate, meaningful responses to simple questions demands sophisticated language models and dialogue management systems. The AI must maintain conversation coherence, provide relevant information, and adapt its communication style to user preferences. Response quality metrics track factors like accuracy, naturalness, and helpfulness to ensure consistent user satisfaction.
Interface Design Considerations
Creating a seamless transition between graphical and conversational interfaces requires thoughtful UX design. The system should provide clear affordances for switching interaction modes while maintaining context across transitions. This approach enhances the overall functionality by ensuring visual feedback and confirmation mechanisms help users understand the system state and available actions throughout the conversation flow.
AI Algorithm Selection and Optimization
Choosing and fine-tuning the right AI algorithms is crucial for handling diverse user queries and personalizing interactions in apps that use conversational UI. The system must efficiently process different query types while adapting to individual user patterns and preferences. Performance optimization ensures quick response times and efficient resource utilization across varying load conditions.
The right partner can help you understand (and get ahead of) the challenges that come with implementing conversational UI.
Need to Create Apps That Use Conversational UI?
At Brightscout, we can help you bring your bot ideas to life. If you would like to talk with experts about integrating Conversational UI into your app, give us a call at (phone number) or head over to our contact page.
