Programmable Chat for Autopilot

Learn how to build web and mobile chat bots with Autopilot and Programmable Chat. First, you need setup Programmable Chat, then you can connect to Autopilot. We'll walk you through both steps.

Setting up Programmable Chat

To get started with Programmable Chat check out the Quickstarts for Javascript, iOS and Android:

• Programmable Chat Javascript Quickstart
• Programmable Chat iOS Quickstart
• Programmable Chat Android Quickstart

After the quickstart,you should have a working Chat Service Instance.

Connecting Chat to Autopilot

To use Autopilot with Programmable Chat follow the steps below:

1. Initialize Chat
2. Create a Channel and join it
3. Add Autopilot URL to Channel Webhook
   1. Programmable Chat Standalone
   2. Programmable Chat through Studio
4. Handle Autopilot messages in your Chat UI
5. Test it!
6. When finished, remove the Bot from the channel

1. Initialize Chat Client

For every end user session you need to initialize a chat client with an identity following the instructions below:

• Initializing SDK Clients
• Creating Access Tokens
• Managing Access Token Lifecycle

2. Create a channel and join channel

Once you have the chat client initiated, you need to create a new channel. You should create a channel for every interaction with the bot so that the user starts with an empty chat. Once you create the channel you need to join it.

Create a channel

• Javascript SDK
• iOS SDK - Objective-C - Swift
• Android SDK
• REST API

Join Channel

• Javascript SDK
• iOS SDK - Objective-C - Swift
• Android SDK
• REST API

3. Add Autopilot URL to Channel

You can use Autopilot with Programmable Chat directly or through Studio. Below are the instructions to configure Programmable Chat both ways. You should configure one or the other, but not both.

3.1. Programmable Chat

For every Programmable Chat Channel, you need to add a webhook that points to Autopilot so that Autopilot get's the end-user's message and knows where to respond.

POST /Services/ISXXX/Channels/CHXXX/Webhooks/

request parameters

Make sure to replace:

ISXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX - with the Chat Service Instance Sid you are using

CHXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX - with the Channel you created for the user

ACXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX - with the Account Sid

{ProgrammableChatURL} - with your Assistant's Programmable Chat URL (Channels -> Programmable Chat in Console)

3.2 Programmable Chat through Studio

For every Programmable Chat Channel, you need to add a webhook that points to Studio so that the Autopilot widget in Studio get's the end-user's message and knows where to respond. To enable incoming Chat messages, add the Studio Flow's webhook URL as a Chat Channel webhook.

POST /Services/ISXXX/Channels/CHXXX/Webhooks/

request parameters

Make sure to replace:

ISXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX - with the Chat Service Instance Sid you are using

CHXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX - with the Channel you created for the user

ACXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX - with the Account Sid

FWXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX - with the Studio Flow Sid

New messages posted in the Chat Channel will create a new Studio Execution, enabling the Studio Flow to interact with the Chat user.

Autopilot URL Parameters

Example 1: Using TargetTask parameter at the end of the URL

https://channels.autopilot.twilio.com/v1/AC005c432c1f038a6fcf60e7708db371f4/UAbe96379c4e0ff73bd6b1d5e345de172e/twilio-chat?TargetTask=life_insurance_home

Any message sent to a bot with this URL will land in the life_insurance_home task.

Example 2: Passing Inbound Context with Memory

https://channels.autopilot.twilio.com/v1/<ACCOUNT_SID>/<ASSISTANT_SID>/twilio-chat?Memory={"CarModel":"Diablo","CarMake":"Lamborghini","CarYear":"2019"}

Any message sent to a bot with this URL will insert CarModel, CarMake and CarYear into the Autopilot Memory.

Triggering Webhooks for REST API Events

Upon configuration, only actions from SDK-driven clients (like mobile phones or browsers) will cause webhooks without further action on your part. This includes both Service-level webhooks and Channel-Scoped Webhooks, and as a default behavior helps avoid infinite feedback loops.

Learn more about how webhooks work with Programmable Chat here.

4. Handle Autopilot messages in your Chat UI

Behind the scenes, Autopilot uses the Programmable Chat REST API to publish messages from your Assistant to the Chat Channel using the default value of system as the from parameter on the message. To change this, replace this value with the name of your Assistant or any other value you want when implementing the SDK on the front end. Learn more about Android, Javascript and iOS SDKs here.

5. Test it!

You are all set. Send a message to the channel, this will go to Autopilot and Autopilot will respond. You can check the Autopilot Logs -> Queries to make sure the message is getting to Autopilot. You should see which task it is hitting. Then you can program each Tasks with the the desired conversational experience.

6. When finished, remove the Bot from the Channel

When the interaction s complete or you want a human to take over you just need to remove the webhook from the Channel.