The rapid development of processing power has enabled the deployment of automatic conversational agent technologies, such as chatbots and virtual assistants. These software systems combine a range of techniques and tools that facilitate human-like communication between humans and computer-based systems. Applied conversational AI requires both science and art to develop effective applications that integrate context, customization, and relevance within human-computer interaction. Chatbots and virtual assistants are now a part of messaging applications and social media platforms, helping with a range of tasks like transaction processing, information retrieval, and customer support.