At a time when information is critical, a Montana State University graduate saw the opportunity to use the Covid-19 pandemic as an opportunity to help teach others about the virus.
“So, we take information and we turn it into a conversational experience through chatbots,” explained Levi Worts.
Worts, along with Arnav Patel, Ish Jindal, Vinit Agrawal, all started up SkyCivic, a local tech company.
SkyCivic developed software that takes mass information and turns it into easy-to-read messages similar to text messaging .
“So what chatbots do is it takes each particular user through their own journey to that information,” Worts said.
With so much information going around about the coronavirus, this company made sure their information was coming only from accurate sources.
“We’ve built the chatbot based off the CDC website and guidelines and priority list but we’ve also spent a lot of time just reading and consuming information and that’s really what we do as a company,” he explained.
Worts understands why people would be hesitant to try something they may have never even heard of.
“It’s an emerging technology, so a lot of people don’t understand what it is. When they actually have a chance to interact with it is when the lightbulb clicks and they’re like oh, okay. This is really cool. This is really easy to use. This makes a lot of sense,” Worts explained.
Typically, people can utilize the chatbots through an annual fee, but the coronavirus chatbot is 100 percent free.
“When there’s a time of crisis, it’s definitely not about the money. I have said this long before it became popular with Covid, but we are in this together. Yes, we could make money off of it, but that’s not what we’re here for. It’s saving lives. That’s what it’s all about,” Worts said.
