Abstract: Exemplary embodiments relate to methods, mediums, and systems for providing group bots that participate in a conversation between multiple participants. Unlike conventional bots that typically interact with users on a one-on-one basis, the group bots may interact collectively with a group, allowing the bots to (among other things) arbitrate decisions for the group, suggest events that all of the members of the group would find agreeable, facilitate conversations by recognizing core language differences between group members and providing translations in response, etc. Furthermore, the group bot may be invoked directly from a group conversation using natural language, and may provide a response directly in the conversation. Because these capabilities are provided directly within a conversation thread, conversation participants can more readily use the bot capabilities without the need to access separate functionality.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments relate to techniques for suggesting bots or mini-apps in a messaging service that provide capabilities related to an ongoing conversation. A suggestion may be added proactively or reactively. In a reactive scenario, the system may respond to an express request to suggest a response or capability, such as by an explicit command. In the proactive scenario, the messaging service may analyze the messages of the conversation, and may suggest a response or capability based on an intent identified in the messages. Examples of suggestions include starting a poll, adding stickers to the conversation, group coordination and planning capabilities, etc. Suggestions such as these allow a user to make use of various capabilities provided by the messaging service, even if the user does not know that the service exists, or how to invoke it.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a message sent from a first client system associated with a first user to a second client system associated with a second user. The method includes parsing the message to identify one or more intents to offer information and one or more slots comprising values for information for a future event extracted from the message. The method includes sending, to the second client system, instructions for presenting a suggestion to execute a task associated with the future event. The suggestion references the values for information for the future event. The method includes receiving, from the second client system, an indication that the second user selected to execute the task associated with the future event. The method includes sending, to the second client system, instructions for presenting results of the executed task associated with future event.

Abstract: Techniques for intent-based search for bots are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus may comprise a bot application interface component operative to receive a plurality of bot capability catalogs for a plurality of bots at a bot-service system, wherein each of the plurality of bot capability catalogs expresses bot capability in natural language for an associated bot; a client communication component operative to receive a user service prompt from a user client device, the user service prompt expressed in natural language; and identify one or more selected bots to the user client device in response to receiving the user service prompt from the user client device; and an interaction processing component operative to determine the one or more selected bots of the plurality of bots by matching the user service prompt against the plurality of bot capability catalogs. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, from a first client system associated with a first user, a message sent from the first user to a second user, analyzing the message from the first user to identify one or more intents and one or more slots of the received message, computing a confidence score for the intent to offer entity information based on user behavior history records associated with the second user, sending, to a second client system associated with the second user, if the confidence score exceeds a threshold score, instructions for presenting a suggestion to the second user to store the values for entity information in association with a profile record for the entity, and receiving, from the second client system associated with the second user, an indication from the second user confirming the values for entity information should be stored with the profile record for the entity.

Abstract: A virtual assistant receives a message including message content from a client device. The virtual assistant determines an intent to organize an event and initial parameters for the event based on the message content. The virtual assistant retrieves a set of messages related to the received message from a data store and refines the initial parameters based on the related messages. A set of potential recommendations is generated based on the refined event parameters and the virtual assistant selects one or more of the potential recommendations to surface to users. The selected recommendations are sent to the client device for presentation to the user.

Abstract: Techniques to response to respond to user requests using natural-language machine learning based on branching example conversations are described.

Abstract: A messaging server that concurrently provides a business or other recipient with a message sent to the recipient and the set of entities detected within the message using natural language processing (NLP). A business interacts with the messaging server to specify the types of NLP to perform on messages received by the business. The messaging server creates a configuration token describing the specified NLP configuration. The messaging server receives a message sent from a client to the business and generates a payload describing the message and including the configuration token. The messaging server then sends the payload to a NLP server. The NLP server performs NLP on the message in the payload according to the configuration specified by the token to detect a set of entities. The messaging server forms an enriched payload including the message and detected entities and forwards the enriched payload to the business.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can acquire an incoming message via a communication system. Access to a preconfigured message template can be provided. A command to generate an outgoing message based on the preconfigured message template can be acquired. The outgoing message generated based on the preconfigured message template can be transmitted via the communication system. The outgoing message can be transmitted as a response to the incoming message.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and devices for providing personal assistant service via messaging. In particular, one or more embodiments receive a request for personal assistant service in an electronic message from a user, assign the request to an agent, determine an intent of the request, and configure an agent user interface to include one or more options in accordance with the determined intent of the request.

Abstract: Techniques to customize bot messaging behavior are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus may comprise bot setup component operative to receive a bot customization control directive at a page bot associated with a web page, the web page comprising a plurality of page fields; present a bot setting user interface in response to the control directive; receive a first control directive in the bot setting user interface to enable a response assistant component of the page bot; receive a second control directive in the bot setting user interface to enable a response to an intent; receive a customization setting in the bot setting user interface to modify the enabled response to the intent; and save the customization setting for the response assistant component. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Techniques to configure a web-based application for bot configuration are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus may comprise a web application hosting component operative to receive a bot-configuration request from a web client, the bot-configuration request corresponding to a developer account for a bot system; and provide a web-based application to the web client; and a web-application preparation component operative to prepare the web-based application for the web client, the web-based application comprising a simulated user environment interface, a code development interface, and a natural-language-processing log interface, wherein the simulated user environment interface corresponds to a user interface for the bot system. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A method may comprise receiving a bot creation control directive from a web page; instantiating a page bot from a template; authorizing the page bot to access the contents of the web page; associating the page bot with the web page; and enabling the page bot to respond to messages sent to the web page. The method may further comprise receiving a message at the page bot from a client device; requesting a meaning of the message from a natural language processing component; identifying a field in the web page associated with the page bot according to the meaning of the message; retrieving data from the identified field; composing a message response including the retrieved data; and sending the message response to the client device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Techniques to configure a web-based application for bot configuration are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus may comprise a web application hosting component operative to receive a bot-configuration request from a web client, the bot-configuration request corresponding to a developer account for a bot system; and provide a web-based application to the web client; and a web-application preparation component operative to prepare the web-based application for the web client, the web-based application comprising a simulated user environment interface, a code development interface, and a natural-language-processing log interface, wherein the simulated user environment interface corresponds to a user interface for the bot system. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A method may comprise receiving a bot creation control directive from a web page; instantiating a page bot from a template; authorizing the page bot to access the contents of the web page; associating the page bot with the web page; and enabling the page bot to respond to messages sent to the web page. The method may further comprise receiving a message at the page bot from a client device; requesting a meaning of the message from a natural language processing component; identifying a field in the web page associated with the page bot according to the meaning of the message; retrieving data from the identified field; composing a message response including the retrieved data; and sending the message response to the client device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Techniques for intent-based search for bots are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus may comprise a bot application interface component operative to receive a plurality of bot capability catalogs for a plurality of bots at a bot-service system, wherein each of the plurality of bot capability catalogs expresses bot capability in natural language for an associated bot; a client communication component operative to receive a user service prompt from a user client device, the user service prompt expressed in natural language; and identify one or more selected bots to the user client device in response to receiving the user service prompt from the user client device; and an interaction processing component operative to determine the one or more selected bots of the plurality of bots by matching the user service prompt against the plurality of bot capability catalogs. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Techniques to response to respond to user requests using natural-language machine learning based on branching example conversations are described.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can acquire an incoming message via a communication system. Access to a preconfigured message template can be provided. A command to generate an outgoing message based on the preconfigured message template can be acquired. The outgoing message generated based on the preconfigured message template can be transmitted via the communication system. The outgoing message can be transmitted as a response to the incoming message.