An autonomous chat bot monitors actions of users on a messaging platform and generates self-initiated chat sessions with the user to gauge users' interest and intent with respect to a target subject matter and the conversations of the chat sessions. Based on the gauged interest and intent, profiles or preferences are generated for the users independent of or relevant to the target subject matter. In an embodiment, customer contact information for the users are provided by the autonomous chat bot to a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system for further engaging the customer with respect to the target subject matter or other subject matters determined to be relevant from the profiles or preferences.