The use of chatbots is in an early stage of marketing experimentation. Some brands are just starting to dip their toes in the water, while others are merely eyeing the water's edge.

The current generation of AI-powered chatbots exciting brand marketers today are not blowing my mind. The problem is, what they do is mundane. It's a big important step in the right direction that Twitter, Facebook, Google and a host of other companies and start-ups make AI-powered chatbots available for marketers to engage audiences. But so far, they're not really doing anything that you couldn't do - probably better - with old-fashioned software, a database and some business rules.

Artificial intelligence and its machine learning branch, in particular, are still rapidly ascending the steep slope of Gartner's infamous Hype Cycle. AI/ML promises to provide marketers with tools to meet potential buyers wherever they are hiding, deduce their intent, serve them content ideally suited to their momentary needs, incite their action and achieve desired business outcomes.

Since Siri first stepped into our lives in 2011, we're being introduced to more and more digital assistants. We've met Amazon's Alexa, Microsoft's Cortana and Google's Google Now. We know them, but do we love them?