Today, most companies already use some form of AI support – chatbots, AI assistants, and AI agents have become part of everyday life, from website chats to business tools. But since their fields of application and benefits often overlap, it can be hard to tell them apart.
So what really distinguishes a traditional chatbot from an advanced AI assistant or a fully autonomous AI agent? And when does a company actually need one of these?
Key Differences
- Chatbot: Answers questions, limited customization, mainly for customer communication (e.g., Chatbase or the more advanced Kalmia’s Murai).
- AI Assistant: Supports employees, connects with internal systems and documents, acts as a digital colleague (e.g., Kalmia's AI Assistant).
- AI Agent: Independently carries out tasks, prepares results for approval, and automates repetitive processes.
At Kalmia, we develop all three types of solutions tailored to your company’s needs – depending on what you require today and where you want to go with AI tomorrow.
What is a Chatbot – and where does its power stop?
A chatbot is the first stage of automating conversations with your (potential) customers. It works on a simple question–answer principle and relies on pre-prepared data, such as FAQs or information from price lists.
The goal is clear: relieve support teams and provide basic information when employees aren’t available.
An example of such a solution is Chatbase, one of the most widely used systems. It allows you to upload data, set up basic integrations, and quickly launch a conversational interface. But when a company needs more advanced logic – integration with multiple databases, customized responses, or more natural communication – Chatbase quickly shows its limits.
Kalmia’s smart chatbot Murai goes beyond the traditional chatbot model, pushing the boundary between automation and real understanding.
Murai is not just a tool that reads documents and repeats them to users. It can connect with your company’s public databases, understand Slovenian context, and deliver responses in a tone that matches your brand.
It communicates with customers and simultaneously helps employees by handling reservations or checking stock levels. In practice, this means: less manual work, more responsiveness, and stronger customer relationships.
Murai is fully GDPR-compliant and ensures that data remains secure. It doesn’t collect personal data by default, but if users provide such information in a conversation, it is processed according to applicable security standards.
How we increased hotel bookings and reduced basic inquiry emails with a smart bot is described here: Smart Bot for Hotels – a project that a classic chatbot simply couldn’t handle.
What is an AI Assistant – and who is it for?
An AI assistant takes things a step further.
It is designed to support employees with their repetitive tasks. Operating within the company’s internal environment, it connects with document systems, CRMs, or ERPs.
It doesn’t just understand questions – it can find the right information, prepare summaries, and even suggest next steps.
An AI assistant works like a digital colleague who needs no onboarding and never forgets where a file is stored. It helps draft proposals, locate internal policies, or respond to customer requests. Employees save time, internal communication improves, and they can focus on work that requires human judgment.
Kalmia’s AI Assistant enhances this concept by integrating directly into your existing systems and adapting its language and tasks to your company’s processes, fitting seamlessly into the way your team already works.
What is an AI Agent – and how can companies benefit?
An AI agent is the next stage of evolution – a system that doesn’t just respond but also acts.
It prepares drafts, proposals, or content, leaving the user to simply approve and execute.
In practice, this could mean:
- an agent that automatically updates CRM records,
- an agent that drafts news or social media posts,
- an agent that creates reports from fresh data,
- an agent that automates repetitive workflows.
While full AI autonomy is technically possible, most companies prefer to keep control. That’s why AI agents operate under the principle: prepare – approve – execute.
Kalmia already develops and customizes such solutions to meet individual client needs.
The goal is not to replace humans entirely but to save them hours of routine work.
How to choose the right solution for your business?
- If you want a quick customer-facing solution → Murai.
- If you need a tool to support employees → AI Assistant.
- If you want AI to prepare content, reports, or system entries for you to simply approve → AI Agent.
How can Kalmia help you?
Digital transformation doesn’t happen overnight.
It starts with one question: which tasks in your company could be handled faster, more consistently, and with less effort?
At Kalmia, we advise and build smart AI assistants tailored to local needs and industries. Together, we can find a solution that reduces your administrative burden and frees up more time for the work that truly matters.
Sign up for a free consultation or contact us at info@kalmia.si.
