Max Klaben, who grew up in Vandalia, created Gidi — a Facebook Messenger chatbot that helps anyone find the perfect gift. Shoppers can tell Gidi about who they're shopping for, what some of their interests are, and what the occasion is. Then Gidi replies back with several options for gifts.
“It’s very timely for holiday gifts,” Klaben told the Dayton Daily News. “Gift-giving is challenging.”
A chatbot is a computer program designed to simulate conversation with human users. Many chatbots are used on Facebook. The chatbot messenger works on both phones and computers. The user has a quick chat with Gidi on Facebook, with no installation or download necessary.
Klaben, who is now living in New York City, started the technology with his business partner Jesse Green. He said the two have been working on the business for about a year. They launched the chatbot in November, and more than 2,600 have used it so far.
So, does it really work? Well, Klaben says Gidi is really half robot, half human. The chatbot uses natural language processing and machine learning to have thoughtful conversations with users. Then, it relies on data insights and curated gift insights — coded by Klaben and Green — to match users with the right gift.
Klaben said if your sister is motherly and outdoorsy, it will match you with gifts that will suit her personality best — like sporting gear and wine. He’s hoping a lot of users will test it out in the coming months, so Green and Klaben can pitch the idea for more funding.
Klaben said the chatbot could likely be used for other industries beyond simply gift-giving.
“Consumers could use it for finding the right cell phone, for looking at the best TV to buy,” he said. “Just general product discovery.”
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