Chatbots are computer programs that simulate human speech, allowing users to interact as if conversing with a person. There are two main types: task-oriented chatbots, which handle specific inquiries efficiently, and data-driven predictive chatbots, which use AI to learn from interactions and provide personalized responses. Additionally, chatbots can be rule-based, relying on pre-established dialogues, or AI-driven, which improve through conversational data.