When:
Wednesday, March 25, 2026 - 15:00 to 15:50 CDT
Room:
Williford C (3rd Floor)
Track:
SVG
user experience, accessibility & design

From Search Bars to Chatbots: Decoding User Expectations for AI Chat

From Search Bars to Chatbots: Decoding User Expectations for AI Chat

Chat bubbles are everywhere, but are they actually working for users? Sandstorm® conducted usability studies with actual users to uncover what people really want when interacting with AI-driven tools. We tested transactional bots, generative AI, hybrid models, and domain-specific chat experiences to see where they succeed, where they fall short, and how they compare to traditional search.

In this session, we will share 5 key findings from our research, including where users instinctively go for support, how they react when AI is in play, and what kinds of experiences foster trust instead of frustration. Attendees will walk away with a practical decision framework for when to use search, chat, or both to create more intuitive and effective Drupal experiences.