The Intent Ladder

The Intent Ladder is a simple way to read how ready a buyer is — and AI assistants read it too. Every question sits somewhere on a gradient, and there's a threshold where the assistant stops answering from its own knowledge and starts reaching for a connected app:

• L0 — Methodology. "What's the best way to book a hotel?" The assistant just explains. No app fires.
• L1 — Exploration. "Walk me through the project-management landscape." Prose comparison, usually still no app.
• L2 — Qualified intent. "I want to book a hotel in Berlin." This trips the wire — the assistant searches for an app.
• L3 — Parameterized. "East side, under €150, flexible dates." Strong trigger.
• L4 — Transaction. "Pull live pricing and book it." The app runs.

The app can only fire at L2 and above. Below that, you're invisible no matter how good your app is.

Why it matters for the ChatGPT funnel

This reframes what "winning AI" means. You have two moves: win the rungs that already fire (find the L2–L4 questions in your category and make sure your app is the one chosen), and escalate buyers up the ladder — using content and conversation design to move someone from "just exploring" to "let's do it." Most brands pour effort into L0/L1 content that can never convert, because no app ever fires there.

How drio fits

drio helps you identify the L2+ moments in your category and builds apps scoped to match them, then uses follow-up prompts inside the conversation to walk buyers up the ladder — explore, qualify, book — without them ever leaving the chat.