An AI Assistant, sometimes referred to as an enterprise copilot, virtual assistant, or digital assistant, is technology that uses artificial intelligence to assist employees at work by processing simple tasks, surfacing information, and answering questions. 

With the help of AI technologies, these types of assistants are able to improve efficiency by leveraging generative and conversational AI alongside ranking algorithms and integrations to business systems. Employees can receive information from across their digital workplace directly through an AI Assistant and can typically take action from the same interface, such as completing an approval or submitting an IT ticket. 

Unlike traditional chatbots that rely on more manual keyword matching to respond to prompts, an AI Assistant typically relies on natural language processing (NLP) to understand user queries. Using NLP and machine learning allows an AI Assistant to improve over time, making them much more effective in improving productivity in the workplace. 

Businesses may leverage this type of software in many different ways including as part of the company intranet or employee portal, in collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams, or embedded in existing business systems.