Definition
A chatbot is a conversational software interface that accepts natural-language input and returns responses. It may use fixed rules, search, retrieval, classifiers, generative models, tools, or a combination of them. The defining feature is the conversational interface, not a particular model architecture.
That distinction matters when evaluating behavior. A wrong answer may come from the model, a retrieval source, a business rule, stale memory, or a tool. The chat surface can make those components feel like one speaker, but they have different owners, failure modes, and controls.
Distinguish it from nearby terms
A chatbot is an interface or application, not a synonym for a large language model. A chatbot becomes agentic when the surrounding system can choose and sequence actions over a loop. Conversation alone does not establish agency.
Check your understanding
A support chatbot retrieves a policy paragraph and answers a question in one turn. It is still a chatbot, not necessarily an agent. Adding a chat window to a workflow does not change the workflow's control structure.