AI chatbot providers: A market overview for decision makers

Artificial intelligence has arrived in the world of work and in society: According to Deloitte At 56%, a fundamentally positive attitude towards the potential uses of AI prevails. Many employees and customers increasingly expect AI chatbots and agents to make work and communication easier. However, due to the rapidly growing market offering and rapid technological change, it remains a challenge for companies to make the right strategic decision and at the same time get started quickly and easily with the first AI solutions in order to create initial successes with artificial intelligence and the basis for its scaling.

In the following article, we present ten selection criteria for selected providers of chatbots and AI agents, which we also apply to a selection of long-established chatbot and AI companies. You can also deepen your functional understanding of chatbot platforms with our Function & Feature Overview.

7 Agentic AI and chatbot providers in comparison

Selection Criterion	Kauz.ai	Cogningy	Parloa	moinAI	Rasa	Userlike	Microsoft Copilot
Use Cases	Customer service Knowledge management AI Workplace	Customer service	Customer service	Marketing, Sales & Customer Service	Marketing, Sales & Customer Service	Customer Service	AI workplace
LLM-agnostic platform	LLM selection options	LLM selection options	LLM selection options	LLM selection options	LLM selection options	GPT Technology	GPT Technology
Data Security & GDPR compliance	EU data hosting Cloud or on-premise Private LLMs Confidential computing	Certifications Cloud or on-premise	Certifications Data encryption	EU data hosting Opt-in for personal data	On-premise and private cloud deployment	No details available	Microsoft’s security and compliance mechanisms
Dialog and process templates	Chatbot templates Free dialog control via agent templates Fixed dialog control via click flows	Flow templates Graphical conversation design tool	No public disclosures	Reusable dialog components	Chatbot templates Dialog patterns	Dialog workflows	Dialog design and process templates
CompanyGPT	Suitable for internal knowledge management and personal AI workplace	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	Central area of application
Control & Management	Analysis dashboards LLM orchestration Chunking and crawling configurations	LLM orchestration Explainable AI	Evaluation tools	Access only to central knowledge database	Response variations & conditions Contextual response rephraser	Central knowledge database Message center	Context management Copilot Control System
Multi-Channel	Chat Live-Chat Voice input	Telephony Chat Voice input	Telephony Chat	Chat Live-Chat	Chat Messaging apps	Chat Messaging apps	Microsoft 365 apps
Usability	No-code platform User interface for business users	Targeted at technical users	User interface for business users	Intuitive Interfaces	For developers	Business User Console	Contextual support in Microsoft 365 applications
Innovation maturity	Rapid expansion into a comprehensive AI agent platform	AI agents in the contact center	Use of agentive AI in customer service	First AI agents	Focus on GPT technology	Focus on chatbots & multichannel integrations	Deep integration into the MS365 ecosystem
Pricing	Starting at €499 per month for company-wide access, or from €20 per user per month	Subscription or usage-based pricing starting at €2,500	Individual	Starting at €475 per month	Individual	Starting at €90 per month	From €30 per user per month

What you should definitely look out for when selecting an AI chatbot

Scalability of your AI applications

Chatbot integrations with high response quality have been accelerated by up to 90% thanks to large language models. Generative AI has become a true game changer for communication automation. For companies, this means they should think beyond isolated chatbot use cases. The deployment of AI will expand across all areas of the organization, and the number of specialized applications will grow rapidly. Therefore, it is advisable to rely on an AI platform from the very first projects—such as the implementation of chatbots—in order to scale AI usage effectively.

User autonomy

The vast future potential of artificial intelligence lies, among other things, in enabling employees to become more efficient in their workflows through AI tools—and to perform tasks independently that would otherwise require assistance. Natural language interfaces eliminate onboarding time and are set to fundamentally transform workplace culture. When choosing your AI chatbot provider, ensure that your employees can control the content quality of the AI application themselves. This allows them to actively shape the transformation process driven by AI deployment.

AI Chatbots 2.0

AI chatbots are the user interface of the future—whether in customer service, internal knowledge management, or individual work. With data integration and the inclusion of AI agents for process automation, AI chatbots are becoming increasingly powerful. Therefore, when choosing a provider, be sure to consider customization capabilities, even if you're starting with simple use cases.

Data Sovereignty

When it comes to service and support, the regional proximity of technology providers has always been an important decision factor. With the rise of AI, regionality has become even more critical. GDPR-compliant data processing within the EU and the highest possible assurance that company data will not be used for AI training are top priorities for many organizations—but they can also lead to higher costs. Carefully evaluate the security measures of chatbot providers and whether they offer scalable options for enhanced data protection.