Dr Daniela Castillo within the Department of Marketing, FEMA, and Dr. Ing. Lawrence Farrugia Caruana, within the Department of Technology and Entrepreneurship Education, Faculty of Education, have been awarded an MDIA (Malta Digital Innovation Authority) grant for their collaborative project titled CATCH (Customer Attitudes and Tolerance towards AI Chatbots).

The grant forms part of the MDIA AI Applied Research Grant (MAARG).

The objective of the CATCH project is to develop a systematic method for evaluating chatbots based on criteria that reflect customers' attitudes, expectations, and tolerance levels.

This method is intended to empower organisations to gauge the effectiveness of AI-powered chatbots in meeting and exceeding customer expectations.

By utilising the methodology developed through the CATCH project, organisations will be equipped to deliver a positive customer experience when interacting with chatbots. This not only enhances brand loyalty but also significantly contributes to the increased adoption of AI technology.

MAARG aims to support MDIA’s commitment to advancing Artificial Intelligence (AI) research capacity in Malta, by fostering growth in AI-related research through increased capacity, investment, adoption of AI technologies, and collaboration between academia and commercial entities. The CATCH project aligns with these goals, offering a unique and impactful approach to the assessment of AI-powered chatbots.

The research findings will be disseminated to the public and relevant stakeholders, providing valuable insights into the optimisation of AI-powered chatbot interactions.

Dr Daniela Castillo and Dr Ing. Farrugia Caruana received valuable advice on project strategy and proposal writing from Ms Sarah Albanozzo, Research Project Manager at the Research Support Services Directorate.