When a caller initiates a conversation with an interactive voice response (“IVR”) system, the caller may be transferred to a live agent. Apparatus and methods are provided for integrating automated tools and artificial intelligence (“AI”) into the interaction with the IVR system. The automated tools and AI may track the conversation to decipher when to transfer the caller to the agent. The agent may determine which machine generated responses are appropriate for the caller. AI may be leveraged to suggest responses for both caller and agent while they are interacting with each other. The agent may transfer back the caller to the IVR system along with the appropriate machine generated response to maintain efficiency and shorten time of human agent interaction.

A method of obtaining and automatically providing secure authentication information includes registering a client device over a data line, storing information and a changeable value for authentication in subsequent telephone-only transactions. In the subsequent transactions, a telephone call placed from the client device to an interactive voice response server is intercepted and modified to include dialing of a delay and at least a passcode, the passcode being based on the unique information and the changeable value, where the changeable value is updated for every call session. The interactive voice response server forwards the passcode and a client device identifier to an authentication function, which compares the received passcode to plural passcodes generated based on information and iterations of a value stored in correspondence with the client device identifier. Authentication is confirmed when a generated passcode matches the passcode from the client device.

A method of obtaining and automatically providing secure authentication information includes registering a client device over a data line, storing information and a changeable value for authentication in subsequent telephone-only transactions. In the subsequent transactions, a telephone call placed from the client device to an interactive voice response server is intercepted and modified to include dialing of a delay and at least a passcode, the passcode being based on the unique information and the changeable value, where the changeable value is updated for every call session. The interactive voice response server forwards the passcode and a client device identifier to an authentication function, which compares the received passcode to plural passcodes generated based on information and iterations of a value stored in correspondence with the client device identifier. Authentication is confirmed when a generated passcode matches the passcode from the client device.

A virtual assistant system for communicating with customers uses human intelligence to correct any errors in the system AI, while collecting data for machine learning and future improvements for more automation. The system may use a modular design, with separate components for carrying out different system functions and sub-functions, and with frameworks for selecting the component best able to respond to a given customer conversation.

Among other things, a developer of an interaction application for an enterprise can create items of content to be provided to an assistant platform for use in responses to requests of end-users. The developer can deploy the interaction application using defined items of content and an available general interaction model including intents and sample utterances having slots. The developer can deploy the interaction application without requiring the developer to formulate any of the intents, sample utterances, or slots of the general interaction model.

Among other things, a developer of an interaction application for an enterprise can create items of content to be provided to an assistant platform for use in responses to requests of end-users. The developer can deploy the interaction application using defined items of content and an available general interaction model including intents and sample utterances having slots. The developer can deploy the interaction application without requiring the developer to formulate any of the intents, sample utterances, or slots of the general interaction model.

A method includes connecting a call from a client device to a destination having an interactive voice response service; transcribing audio from the destination during the call to identify menu options of the interactive voice response service; generating visualizations representing the menu options; and outputting the visualizations to a display associated with the client device. A system includes a telephony system, an automatic speech recognition processing tool, and a visualization output generation tool. The telephony system connects a call from a client device to a destination having an interactive voice response service. The automatic speech recognition processing tool transcribes audio from the destination during the call to identify menu options of the interactive voice response service. The visualization output generation tool generates visualizations representing the menu options. The telephony system outputs the visualizations to a display associated with the client device.

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for communications network security for handling proxy voice calls that employ a voicebot. According to one aspect disclosed herein, a call handling system can intercept, from a communications network, a call request that is directed to a called target device. The call handling system can determine that the call request was generated by a voicebot on behalf of a user equipment. The call handling system can suspend the call request from being routed to the called target device. The call handling system can generate a voicebot confirmation request that identifies the voicebot and the user equipment. The call handling system can provide the voicebot confirmation request to the called target. The call request can be suspended while the voicebot confirmation request is provided to the called target device.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method of receiving, by a processing system including a processor, a call for a subscriber; determining, by the processing system, that the call is from an interactive voice response (IVR) system; determining whether the IVR system is providing a query that requires a response; and responsive to a first determination that the IVR system requires the response, providing the response. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method of receiving, by a processing system including a processor, a call for a subscriber; determining, by the processing system, that the call is from an interactive voice response (IVR) system; determining whether the IVR system is providing a query that requires a response; and responsive to a first determination that the IVR system requires the response, providing the response. Other embodiments are disclosed.