Vonage Enables AI Chatbot for Spanish Government to Provide Accurate, Updated COVID-19 Information

Vonage API Partner Sngular and AI experts from the Government built the Hispabot-COVID19 conversational assistant to work through WhatsApp using the Vonage Messages API

Sngular, a Madrid-based international technology solutions provider, and AI experts from the Government of Spain, have built an AI conversational assistant, Hispabot-COVID19 chatbot (Hispabot), to reduce the calls into the Spanish National Health Service during the COVID-19 crisis using programmable technology from Vonage to integrate the Hispabot directly into WhatsApp.

“We’re seeing Vonage’s programmable solutions enable incredible and innovative initiatives, whether it is supporting telehealth, distance learning or government services like the Hispabot-COVID19.”

Sngular, a Vonage API partner, designed the automatic consultation channel to use artificial intelligence and natural language to respond to concerns about COVID-19 with official, accurate and updated information, along with immediate answers to the most commonly asked coronavirus questions 24/7. Experts in language technology from the Government and the University of Granada (Spain) contributed to create the training and knowledge base about COVID-19. Health professionals from the Spanish Health Service validated the content.

Using the Vonage Messages API, Sngular was able to easily integrate WhatsApp into their platform and enable millions of Spanish citizens to reach them in a way that is familiar to them in just three days. Following an order made by the Spanish Ministry of Health, the Hispabot tool has been promoted by the Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, attached to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation.

Marketing Technology News: Atos Acquires Data Science Firm Miner & Kasch

The Hispabot-COVID19 chatbot is easy to use through WhatsApp:

• Spanish citizens simply save the number +34 600 802 802 in their phone’s contacts and send the word “hello” in a WhatsApp message to start the conversation.
• Using AI, the service responds with official answers to citizens’ most common questions regarding COVID-19 including details on symptoms, local emergency numbers, the latest Ministry of Health updates, and more.
• Hispabot-COVID19 helps reduce the pressure on healthcare hotlines, offering a simple information alternative available at all times and keeping the phone lines open for people that really need to speak to a doctor.

“The COVID-19 situation is constantly evolving and it’s important to provide people with accurate information when and where they need it. Using the Vonage Messages API it was simple to integrate the Hispabot functionality into WhatsApp and reach people where they spend the most time communicating,” said Carlos Guardiola, CIO at Sngular. “As the leading platform for messaging in Spain, WhatsApp is the best channel to connect with citizens, and Vonage Messages API is the best tool to automate this connection in a secure and scalable way.”

Marketing Technology News: Yext and Olo Integration Serves Up Verified Menus to Boost Restaurant Discoverability in Search

Hispabot provides answers to more than 200 questions that can be asked in more than 1,000 different ways. It uses Ministry of Health sources and data from other official organizations like WHO to garner information on symptoms of the disease, preventive measures, protection, current statistics, contact numbers and more.

“During this unprecedented time, Vonage is proud to partner with companies like Sngular to power communications solutions that connect people with the support they need,” said Omar Javaid, President API Platform Group, Vonage. “We’re seeing Vonage’s programmable solutions enable incredible and innovative initiatives, whether it is supporting telehealth, distance learning or government services like the Hispabot-COVID19.”

Marketing Technology News: MediaMath Partners with TVSquared to Deliver CTV Attribution