Abstract: The present disclosure relates to chatbot systems, and more particularly, to batching techniques for handling unbalanced training data when training a model such that bias is removed from the trained machine learning model when performing inference. In an embodiment, a plurality of raw utterances is obtained. A bias eliminating distribution is determined and a subset of the plurality of raw utterances is batched according to the bias-reducing distribution. The resulting unbiased training data may be input into a prediction model for training the prediction model. The trained prediction model may be obtained and utilized to predict unbiased results from new inputs received by the trained prediction model.

Abstract: Techniques for automatically switching between chatbot skills in the same domain. In one particular aspect, a method is provided that includes receiving an utterance from a user within a chatbot session, where a current skill context is a first skill and a current group context is a first group, inputting the utterance into a candidate skills model for the first group, obtaining, using the candidate skills model, a ranking of skills within the first group, determining, based on the ranking of skills, a second skill is a highest ranked skill, changing the current skill context of the chatbot session to the second skill, inputting the utterance into a candidate flows model for the second skill, obtaining, using the candidate flows model, a ranking of intents within the second skill that match the utterance, and determining, based on the ranking of intents, an intent that is a highest ranked intent.

Abstract: Techniques for using logit values for classifying utterances and messages input to chatbot systems in natural language processing. A method can include a chatbot system receiving an utterance generated by a user interacting with the chatbot system. The chatbot system can input the utterance into a machine-learning model including a set of binary classifiers. Each binary classifier of the set of binary classifiers can be associated with a modified logit function. The method can also include the machine-learning model using the modified logit function to generate a set of distance-based logit values for the utterance. The method can also include the machine-learning model applying an enhanced activation function to the set of distance-based logit values to generate a predicted output. The method can also include the chatbot system classifying, based on the predicted output, the utterance as being associated with the particular class.

Abstract: A method includes receiving an indication of a first coverage value corresponding to a desired overlap between a dataset of natural language phrases and a training dataset for training a machine learning model; determining a second coverage value corresponding to a measured overlap between the dataset of natural language phrases and the training dataset; determining a coverage delta value based on a comparison between the first coverage value and the second coverage value; modifying, based on the coverage delta value, the dataset of natural language phrases; and processing, utilizing a machine learning model including the modified dataset of natural language phrases, an input dataset including a set of input features. The machine learning model processes the input dataset based at least in part on the dataset of natural language phrases to generate an output dataset.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems including techniques for multi-feature balancing for natural langue processors. In an embodiment, a method includes receiving a natural language query to be processed by a machine learning model, the machine learning model utilizing a dataset of natural language phrases for processing natural language queries, determining, based on the machine learning model and the natural language query, a feature dropout value, generating, and based on the natural language query, one or more contextual features and one or more expressional features that may be input to the machine learning model, modifying at least one or the one or more contextual features and the one or more expressional features based on the feature dropout value to generate a set of input features for the machine learning model, and processing the set of input features to cause generating an output dataset for corresponding to the natural language query.

Abstract: Techniques for keyword data augmentation for training chatbot systems in natural language processing. In one particular aspect, a method is provided that includes receiving a training set of utterances for training a machine-learning model to identify one or more intents for one or more utterances, augmenting the training set of utterances with out-of-domain (OOD) examples. The augmenting includes: identifying keywords within utterances of the training set of utterances, generating a set of OOD examples with the identified keywords, filtering out OOD examples from the set of OOD examples that have a context substantially similar to context of the utterances of the training set of utterances, and incorporating the set of OOD examples without the filtered OOD examples into the training set of utterances to generate an augmented training set of utterances. Thereafter, the machine-learning model is trained using the augmented training set of utterances.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems including techniques for multi-factor modelling for training and utilizing chatbot systems for natural language processing. In an embodiment, a method includes receiving a set of utterance data corresponding to a natural language-based query, determining one or more intents for the chatbot corresponds to a possible context for the natural language-based query and associated with a skill for the chatbot, generating one or more intent classification datasets, each intent classification dataset associated with a probability that the natural language query corresponds to an intent of the one or more intents, generating one or more transformed datasets each corresponding to a skill of one or more skills, determining a first skill of the one or more skills based on the one or more transformed datasets and processing, based on the determined first skill, the set of utterance data to resolve the natural language-based query.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to techniques for identifying out-of-domain utterances.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a training set of utterances for training a machine-learning model to identify one or more intents for one or more utterances, and augmenting the training set of utterances with out-of-domain (OOD) examples. The augmenting includes: generating a data set of OOD examples, filtering out OOD examples from the data set of OOD examples, determining a difficulty value for each OOD example remaining within the filtered data set of the OOD examples, and generating augmented batches of utterances including utterances from the training set of utterances and utterances from the filtered data set of the OOD based on the difficulty value for each OOD. Thereafter, the machine-learning model is trained using the augmented batches of utterances in accordance with a curriculum training protocol.

Abstract: Techniques for using enhanced logit values for classifying utterances and messages input to chatbot systems in natural language processing. A method can include a chatbot system receiving an utterance generated by a user interacting with the chatbot system and inputting the utterance into a machine-learning model including a series of network layers. A final network layer of the series of network layers can include a logit function. The machine-learning model can map a first probability for a resolvable class to a first logit value using the logit function. The machine-learning model can map a second probability for a unresolvable class to an enhanced logit value. The method can also include the chatbot system classifying the utterance as the resolvable class or the unresolvable class based on the first logit value and the enhanced logit value.

Abstract: Techniques for out-of-domain data augmentation for training chatbot systems in natural language processing. In one particular aspect, a method is provided that includes receiving a training set of utterances for training a machine-learning model to identify one or more intents for one or more utterances, and augmenting the training set of utterances with out-of-domain (OOD) examples. The augmenting includes: generating a data set of OOD examples, filtering out OOD examples from the data set of OOD examples, determining a difficulty value for each OOD example remaining within the filtered data set of the OOD examples, and generating augmented batches of utterances comprising utterances from the training set of utterances and utterances from the filtered data set of the OOD based on the difficulty value for each OOD. Thereafter, the machine-learning model is trained using the augmented batches of utterances in accordance with a curriculum training protocol.

Abstract: Techniques for using logit values for classifying utterances and messages input to chatbot systems in natural language processing. A method can include a chatbot system receiving an utterance generated by a user interacting with the chatbot system. The chatbot system can input the utterance into a machine-learning model including a set of binary classifiers. Each binary classifier of the set of binary classifiers can be associated with a modified logit function. The method can also include the machine-learning model using the modified logit function to generate a set of distance-based logit values for the utterance. The method can also include the machine-learning model applying an enhanced activation function to the set of distance-based logit values to generate a predicted output. The method can also include the chatbot system classifying, based on the predicted output, the utterance as being associated with the particular class.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to techniques for identifying out-of-domain utterances.

Abstract: Techniques for automatically switching between chatbot skills in the same domain. In one particular aspect, a method is provided that includes receiving an utterance from a user within a chatbot session, where a current skill context is a first skill and a current group context is a first group, inputting the utterance into a candidate skills model for the first group, obtaining, using the candidate skills model, a ranking of skills within the first group, determining, based on the ranking of skills, a second skill is a highest ranked skill, changing the current skill context of the chatbot session to the second skill, inputting the utterance into a candidate flows model for the second skill, obtaining, using the candidate flows model, a ranking of intents within the second skill that match the utterance, and determining, based on the ranking of intents, an intent that is a highest ranked intent.

Abstract: Techniques for noise data augmentation for training chatbot systems in natural language processing. In one particular aspect, a method is provided that includes receiving a training set of utterances for training an intent classifier to identify one or more intents for one or more utterances; augmenting the training set of utterances with noise text to generate an augmented training set of utterances; and training the intent classifier using the augmented training set of utterances. The augmenting includes: obtaining the noise text from a list of words, a text corpus, a publication, a dictionary, or any combination thereof irrelevant of original text within the utterances of the training set of utterances, and incorporating the noise text within the utterances relative to the original text in the utterances of the training set of utterances at a predefined augmentation ratio to generate augmented utterances.

Abstract: Techniques for using enhanced logit values for classifying utterances and messages input to chatbot systems in natural language processing. A method can include a chatbot system receiving an utterance generated by a user interacting with the chatbot system and inputting the utterance into a machine-learning model including a series of network layers. A final network layer of the series of network layers can include a logit function. The machine-learning model can map a first probability for a resolvable class to a first logit value using the logit function. The machine-learning model can map a second probability for a unresolvable class to an enhanced logit value. The method can also include the chatbot system classifying the utterance as the resolvable class or the unresolvable class based on the first logit value and the enhanced logit value.

Abstract: Techniques for using logit values for classifying utterances and messages input to chatbot systems in natural language processing. A method can include a chatbot system receiving an utterance generated by a user interacting with the chatbot system. The chatbot system can input the utterance into a machine-learning model including a set of binary classifiers. Each binary classifier of the set of binary classifiers can be associated with a modified logit function. The method can also include the machine-learning model using the modified logit function to generate a set of distance-based logit values for the utterance. The method can also include the machine-learning model applying an enhanced activation function to the set of distance-based logit values to generate a predicted output. The method can also include the chatbot system classifying, based on the predicted output, the utterance as being associated with the particular class.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed herein for objective function optimization in target based hyperparameter tuning. In one aspect, a computer-implemented method is provided that includes initializing a machine learning algorithm with a set of hyperparameter values and obtaining a hyperparameter objective function that comprises a domain score for each domain that is calculated based on a number of instances within an evaluation dataset that are correctly or incorrectly predicted by the machine learning algorithm during a given trial. For each trial of a hyperparameter tuning process: training the machine learning algorithm to generate a machine learning model, running the machine learning model in different domains using the set of hyperparameter values, evaluating the machine learning model for each domain, and once the machine learning model has reached convergence, outputting at least one machine learning model.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed herein for continuous hyperparameter tuning with automatic domain weight adjustment based on periodic performance checkpoints. In one aspect, a method is provided that includes initializing a machine learning algorithm with a set of hyperparameter values and obtaining a hyperparameter objective function that is defined at least in part on a plurality of domains of a search space that is associated with the machine learning algorithm. For each trial of a hyperparameter tuning process: running the machine learning algorithm in different domains using the set of hyperparameter values, periodically checking a performance of the machine learning algorithm in the different domains based on the hyperparameter objective function; and continuing hyperparameter tuning with a new set of hyperparameter values after automatically adjusting the domain weights according to a regression status of the different domains.

Abstract: Techniques for automatically switching between chatbot skills in the same domain. In one particular aspect, a method is provided that includes receiving an utterance from a user within a chatbot session, where a current skill context is a first skill and a current group context is a first group, inputting the utterance into a candidate skills model for the first group, obtaining, using the candidate skills model, a ranking of skills within the first group, determining, based on the ranking of skills, a second skill is a highest ranked skill, changing the current skill context of the chatbot session to the second skill, inputting the utterance into a candidate flows model for the second skill, obtaining, using the candidate flows model, a ranking of intents within the second skill that match the utterance, and determining, based on the ranking of intents, an intent that is a highest ranked intent.