Building an AI WhatsApp Bot with Botpress

Overview

• Goal: Create an AI WhatsApp bot using Botpress without coding.
• Use case: An Airbnb bot to answer questions using a document.
• Timeframe: Approximately 30 minutes.

Step-by-Step Process

1. Create a Botpress Account

• Go to Botpress website.
• Sign up for an account if you don’t have one.
• Log in to access your workspace.

2. Create a New Bot

• Name the bot: Airbnb WhatsApp Chatbot.
• Start with an empty template: delete existing nodes to create a simple flow.

3. Building the Conversation Flow

• Start Note: Connect to a standard note.
• Text Message: "Hi there".
• Connect to the End Note.
• Use the emulator feature to test responses.

4. Integrating WhatsApp

• Ensure your bot is published.
• Set up a Meta Developers account (formerly Facebook).
• Create a new app with WhatsApp integration.

5. Configuring the App

• Create a new app under Meta Developers.
• Add WhatsApp as a product.
• Navigate to Botpress for WhatsApp integration setup.
• Configure the connection settings with:
  • Verification token (e.g., 12345).
  • Access token (temporary, expires in 23 hours).
  • Default phone number ID.

6. Setting Up Webhook URL

• Copy and set the webhook URL in Meta Developers.
• Enable integration and save settings.
• Subscribe to message events only.

7. Testing the Connection

• Whitelist your phone number to send messages.
• Send test messages to confirm connection.
• Ensure you receive expected responses from the bot.

8. Adding AI Capabilities

• Use an FAQ document for the bot's knowledge base.
• Add PDF of FAQs about Airbnb in Paris.
• Capture user input to answer questions based on the document.

9. Enhancing User Interaction

• Implement a conversational loop:
  • Welcome message.
  • User asks a question.
  • If they have more questions, loop back; else, end the conversation.

10. Testing in WhatsApp

• Publish the bot after making changes.
• Test in WhatsApp to ensure responses match the flow.
• Validate responses from the FAQ document.

11. Going Beyond

• Botpress offers a variety of functionalities (e.g., choices, dropdowns, images).
• Explore Botpress documentation for advanced features.

Conclusion

• Creating an AI WhatsApp bot can be done quickly with Botpress.
• Ideal for rapid prototyping without coding experience.
• Encouragement to experiment further with the platform.

Additional Resources

• Links to Botpress and further documentation provided in the video description.