Considering The Cognigy Extension Marketplace
Is It A Sign Of the Future For Enterprise Conversational AI?
Introduction
I have alluded to this idea in my last few posts, but I wanted to dedicated a whole post to this concept…so here is the argument:
- There are a group of leading conversational AI development frameworks. These frameworks are self-contained and have extensive functionality.
- Emerging niche technologies are addressing vulnerabilities and blind-spots within the Conversational AI arena.
- This begs the question? Is this a zero-sum game where the Conversational AI Development Frameworks is in an arms race to develop in-house new features and functionality? With already high table stakes…
- Or is there an opportunity to become an app-store for Conversational AI development, a type of an aggregator, a market place?
Can it be that OneReach AI is focussing on becoming a single Conversational AI portal to act as an orchestration engine / aggregator for Conversational AI experiences? Becoming the Twilio of Language Technology?
OneReach AI is not a chatbot / voicebot development framework, I would argue it is not a Conversational AI framework per se. It is really a conversation orchestration engine, acting as a single front-door for customers.
Again, the OneReach AI design canvas is not a conversation flow designer, or flow node manager. It is really an orchestration canvas, where multiple processes can be kicked off and managed in parallel. Micro-bots can be orchestrated for multidimensional customer service
And is this the direction in which Cognigy is moving with the Cognigy AI Marketplace?
The Cognigy AI Marketplace
The Cognigy AI Marketplace, as seen below, is a collection of extensions which acts as building blocks to build conversational experiences faster with greater efficiency.
Key aspects of extensions:
- Extensions are available completely free.
- If an extension is not available, the open architecture allows for custom written extensions.
- Extensions do not only act as third-party integration API’s. Complex logic can be rolled up into an extension. Time consuming processing can be absorbed in an extension.
- And one of the key aspects, users can have their extension approved by Cognigy, and have the extension published on the Extension Marketplace.
As seen above, the marketplace is fully accessible within the Cognigy AI workspace. Number one denotes the icon to access the Extensions console.
Number two shows where custom developed extensions can be uploaded.
As an example, (number three) OpenAI is selected and the detail of the extension appears on the right, with the functions available. And lastly (four) the option to install the extension.
Under Build, Flows can be selected, and a flow node can be added by selecting +. Under Extensions, the newly added extension from OpenAI is visible.
Considerations & Conclusion
A few considerations in conclusion…
- Other frameworks like IBM Watson Assistant and Microsoft Power Virtual Agents have a resemblance of a marketplace, bit it mainly related to channel/medium integration. For instance, integration to Messenger, etc. It is definitely not as extensive as the Cognigy Marketplace in scope and functionality.
- Critical mass is important, if I was Cognigy I would promote and attempt to incentivise the creation of Extensions. It can become a real differentiating feature.
- Obviously extensions can carry cost, if there is a charge per query from the third party. An example here is accessing large language models like OpenAI and being charged per API call.
- The alignment between prospective customer’s existing functionality/systems and marketplace extensions, could become a determining factor in technology choices.
