I pushed eight free AI chatbots to their limits to find the best AI chatbots of 2026. To explore our top picks, check out ZDNET's chatbot-by-chatbot guide.

It started with history teacher Caitlyn Wilder telling the AI who to be. “You are a friendly, expert research assistant,” she wrote. Then she told the chatbot its goal — help 10th grade students ...

Sure, there's ChatGPT and Claude, but most companies with online customer service now use AI chatbots, too. Here's what you need to know. Barbara is a tech writer specializing in AI and emerging ...

Just adding a chatbot on your website or mobile app will not reduce customer service calls. Sometimes as an analyst I must tell a customer service team that it is not surprising that their ...