Build Your First Chatbot
IBM SkillsBuild
Last updated June 19, 2026
Build Your First Chatbot is a one-hour, hands-on lesson from IBM SkillsBuild where you build a working conversational chatbot — one that understands plain-language input and replies with relevant answers, options, and suggestions. You pick up the natural-language-processing (NLP) basics that make this possible and work in the Dialogflow console, combining ready-made conversation flows with ones you design yourself. You finish with a chatbot you built, not just a description of how chatbots work.
What you'll learn
- The natural-language-processing (NLP) basics behind understanding typed input
- How a chatbot maps what a user says to a response
- Designing dialog with pre-built and custom conversation flows
- Building a chatbot that offers options and suggestions in Dialogflow
Frequently asked questions about Build Your First Chatbot
Who is Build Your First Chatbot for?
Beginners who want a hands-on first experience building a working chatbot, with no prior chatbot experience needed.
Is Build Your First Chatbot free?
Yes — Build Your First Chatbot is completely free to take.
What are the prerequisites for Build Your First Chatbot?
None; designed for beginners. The hands-on work is done in the Dialogflow console, and starting the course needs a free IBM account.
Why we suggest this course
A low-commitment, hands-on way to feel what building conversational AI is actually like — you spend the hour as the builder and end with a working bot. Two honest notes: the hands-on work uses Dialogflow specifically, so those skills are tied to that tool, and starting needs a free IBM account.