10th International Congress on Information and Communication Technology in concurrent with ICT Excellence Awards (ICICT 2025) will be held at London, United Kingdom | February 18 - 21 2025.
Authors - Niklas Preiss, Markus Westner Abstract - Digital assistant technologies (DATs) such as chatbots, virtual assistants, and intelligent agents have gained widespread attention, yet inconsistent terminology remains a critical challenge. The fragmented nature of previous research has led to significant confusion due to overlapping and interchangeable use of terms across industries. This systematic literature review, following the PRISMA protocol, consolidates the current state of knowledge on DATs and addresses the prevalent jingle-jangle fallacies in their terminology. Analysis of 137 articles identified key characteristics, applications, and conceptual overlaps of various DATs, uncovering 39 distinct technologies categorized under three overarching concepts: assistants, chatbots, and agents. Despite shared functionalities, terminological inconsistencies persist across different sectors, presenting challenges for both academic research and practical implementation. This review emphasizes the need for standardized terminology and clearer classification frameworks to facilitate broader DAT adoption across organizational contexts.
