Patent Publication Number: US-2021174372-A1

Title: Methods and apparatus for using artificial intelligence entities to provide information to an end user

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/433,108, filed Feb. 15, 2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Embodiments of the subject matter described herein relate generally to the use of artificial intelligence associated with online communications. More particularly, embodiments of the subject matter relate to performing functionality at a customer relationship management (CRM) software platform by a chat-bot. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Artificial intelligence (AI) may be used to provide information to users via online communications with “chat-bots” or other automated interactive tools. Using chat-bots, automated AI systems conduct text-based chat conversations with users, through which users request and receive information. Chat-bots generally provide information to users for predetermined situations and applications, using locally stored memory. However, functionality of the chat-bot may be limited, and the chat-bot may not have access to all applicable information. 
     Accordingly, it is desirable to provide additional applicable data to a user when AI embodiments are unable to do so. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for using an artificial intelligence (AI) entity to interface with a customer relationship management (CRM) software platform online. The method receives user input changes to the CRM software platform, by the AI entity comprising at least one processor and a memory element, wherein the AI entity is configured to perform chat-bot functionality; alters, by the at least one processor, contents of the CRM software platform associated with the user input changes, in response to the AI entity receiving the user input changes; continuously receives CRM data from the CRM software platform, by the at least one processor; receives, by the at least one processor, a user request for a subset of the CRM data; and in response to the user request, transmits the subset. 
     Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system using an artificial intelligence (AI) entity to interface with a customer relationship management (CRM) software platform online. The system includes: a system memory element; a communication device configured to transmit and receive text-based data messages from a user interface; and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the system memory element and the communication device, the at least one processor configured to: receive user input changes to the CRM software platform, via the communication device; alter contents of the CRM software platform associated with the user input changes, in response to receiving the user input changes; continuously receive CRM data from the CRM software platform, via the communication device; receive a user request for a subset of the CRM data, via the communication device; and in response to the user request, transmit the subset via the communication device; wherein the text-based data messages comprise the user input changes, the CRM data, the user request, and the sub set. 
     Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a non-transitory, computer-readable medium containing instructions thereon, which, when executed by a processor, are capable of performing a method. The method establishes a first communication connection for online chat between a user interface and an artificial intelligence (AI) entity comprising at least one processor and a memory element; establishes a second communication connection between the AI entity and a server configured to store, execute, and maintain the CRM software platform; receives, by the AI entity, user input changes to a customer relationship management (CRM) software platform, wherein the AI entity is configured to perform chat-bot functionality via the first communication connection, and wherein the user input changes are received via the first communication connection; alters contents of the CRM software platform associated with the user input changes, in response to the AI entity receiving the user input changes, by the at least one processor and via the second communication connection; continuously receives CRM data from the CRM software platform, by the at least one processor and via the second communication connection; receives a user request for a subset of the CRM data, by the at least one processor and via the first communication connection; and in response to the user request, transmits the subset to the user interface via the first communication connection. 
     This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more complete understanding of the subject matter may be derived by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in conjunction with the following figures, wherein like reference numbers refer to similar elements throughout the figures. 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of an artificial intelligence (AI) communication system, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments; 
         FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram of a server system, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments; 
         FIG. 3  is a functional block diagram of a computing device, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating communications of an AI communication system, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments; and 
         FIG. 5  is a conceptual block diagram of a multi-tenant system in accordance with one embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following detailed description is merely illustrative in nature and is not intended to limit the embodiments of the subject matter or the application and uses of such embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as exemplary is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. 
     The subject matter presented herein relates to apparatus and methods for using artificial intelligence (AI) entities, also known as “chat-bots”, to provide information to an end user. More specifically, the subject matter relates to the use of chat-bots to provide automated responses to various end user queries, to provide continuously streaming status updates, and to connect the end user to a live agent communicating through a customer service terminal. 
     Turning now to the figures,  FIG. 1  is a diagram of an artificial intelligence (AI) communication system  100 , in accordance with the disclosed embodiments. As shown, the AI communication system  100  includes a computer system  102  with the capability to communicate, via a data communication network  108 , with a server system  104  and a human customer service representative at a customer service terminal  106 . It should be appreciated that the computer system  102 , the server system  104 , and the customer service terminal  106 , and any corresponding logical elements, individually or in combination, are exemplary means for performing a claimed function. In practice, an embodiment of the AI communication system  100  may include additional or alternative elements and components, as desired for the particular application, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     The computer system  102  may be implemented by any computing device that includes at least one processor, some form of memory hardware, a user interface, and communication hardware, such that a user may communicate with the server system  104  and/or the customer service terminal  106 . The computer system  102  is capable of communicating with a server system  104  and the customer service terminal  106  via a data communication network  108 . The computer system  102  and the server system  104  are generally disparately located. The computer system  102  is configured to transmit text-based communications to an artificial intelligence (AI) entity stored and executed by the server system  104 , which may make changes to data stored by the server system  104 . In certain embodiments, the computer system  102  may transmit text-based messages to an AI entity associated with the server system  104 , and these text-based messages alter and/or add to a customer relationship management (CRM) software platform and database stored by, and connected to, the server system  104 . 
     The computer system  102  is capable of communicating with a server system  104  via a data communication network  108 . The data communication network  108  may be any digital or other communications network capable of transmitting messages or data between devices, systems, or components. In certain embodiments, the data communication network  108  includes a packet switched network that facilitates packet-based data communication, addressing, and data routing. The packet switched network could be, for example, a wide area network, the Internet, or the like. In various embodiments, the data communication network  108  includes any number of public or private data connections, links or network connections supporting any number of communications protocols. The data communication network  108  may include the Internet, for example, or any other network based upon TCP/IP or other conventional protocols. In various embodiments, the data communication network  108  could also incorporate a wireless and/or wired telephone network, such as a cellular communications network for communicating with mobile phones, personal digital assistants, and/or the like. The data communication network  108  may also incorporate any sort of wireless or wired local and/or personal area networks, such as one or more IEEE 802.3, IEEE 802.16, and/or IEEE 802.11 networks, and/or networks that implement a short range (e.g., Bluetooth) protocol. For the sake of brevity, conventional techniques related to data transmission, signaling, network control, and other functional aspects of the systems (and the individual operating components of the systems) may not be described in detail herein. 
     The server system  104  may include any number of application servers, and each server may be implemented using any suitable computer. In some embodiments, the server system  104  includes one or more dedicated computers. In some embodiments, the server system  104  includes one or more computers carrying out other functionality in addition to server operations. The server system  104  is generally configured to host: (i) an event-driven, input/output (I/O), server-side JavaScript environment which encapsulates an intelligence layer; and (ii) core enterprise computing platform capabilities, which may include, but are not limited to, Representational State Transfer (ReST) application programming interface (API), Streaming API, Lightning Out, Visualforce, Apex, or the like. The server system is configured to store, maintain, and execute one or more software platforms and programs, such as a customer relationship management (CRM) software platform that stores customer data and customer interaction data, business information, sales data, marketing data, customer support data, employee data, vendor and partner relationship data, or the like. The CRM software platform may also include functionality to manage customer data and customer interaction, access business information, automate sales, marketing and customer support and also manage employee, vendor and partner relationships. 
     The customer service terminal  106 , like the computer system  102 , may be implemented by any computing device that includes at least one processor, some form of memory hardware, and a user interface, such that a customer service representative may communicate with the computer system  102  by sending and receiving text-based messages from the customer service terminal  106 . The computer system  102  and the customer service terminal  106  are generally disparately located, and the exchange of text-based messages generally occurs over the data communication network  108 . 
     During typical operation, the computer system  102  establishes a communication connection, via the data communication network  108 , to an AI entity stored, maintained, and executed by the server system  104 . A user may conduct a text-based chat session with the AI entity, which may be implemented as a “chat-bot”. Through this text-based chat session, the computer system  102  sends requests for data, sends and receives data to complete commercial transactions, and submits changes or additions to data stored at the server system  104 . 
       FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram of a server system  200 , in accordance with the disclosed embodiments. It should be noted that the server system  200  can be implemented with the server system  104  depicted in  FIG. 1 . In this regard, the server system  200  shows certain elements and components of the server system  104  in more detail. The server system  200  generally includes, stores, maintains, operates, and/or executes, without limitation: at least one processor  202 ; system memory  204  hardware; a communication device  206 ; an enterprise computing platform  208 ; an artificial intelligence (AI) module  210 ; and an application programming interface (API) module  212 . These elements and features of server system  200  may be operatively associated with one another, coupled to one another, or otherwise configured to cooperate with one another as needed to support the desired functionality, as described herein. For ease of illustration and clarity, the various physical, electrical, and logical couplings and interconnections for these elements and features are not depicted in  FIG. 2 . Moreover, it should be appreciated that embodiments of the server system  200  will include other elements, modules, and features that cooperate to support the desired functionality. For simplicity,  FIG. 2  only depicts certain elements that relate to the techniques described in more detail below. 
     The at least one processor  202  may be implemented or performed with one or more general purpose processors, a content addressable memory, a digital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array, any suitable programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination designed to perform the functions described here. In particular, the at least one processor  202  may be realized as one or more microprocessors, controllers, microcontrollers, or state machines. Moreover, the at least one processor  202  may be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of digital signal processors and microprocessors, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a digital signal processor core, or any other such configuration. 
     The at least one processor  202  is communicatively coupled to, and communicates with, the system memory  204 . The system memory  204  is configured to store any obtained or generated data associated with storing, maintaining, and executing a communication platform  308  for use to conduct text-based online conversations (e.g., “chat”) with live agents and/or chat-bots, and graphical elements associated with the communication platform  308 . The system memory  204  may be realized using any number of devices, components, or modules, as appropriate to the embodiment. Moreover, the server system  200  could include system memory  204  integrated therein and/or a system memory  204  operatively coupled thereto, as appropriate to the particular embodiment. In practice, the system memory  204  could be realized as RAM memory, flash memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. In certain embodiments, the system memory  204  includes a hard disk, which may also be used to support functions of the server system  200 . The system memory  204  can be coupled to the at least one processor  202  such that the at least one processor  202  can read information from, and write information to, the system memory  204 . In the alternative, the system memory  204  may be integral to the at least one processor  202 . As an example, the at least one processor  202  and the system memory  204  may reside in a suitably designed application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). 
     The communication device  206  is suitably configured to communicate data between the server system  200  and one or more computer systems (e.g., computer system  102  of  FIG. 1 ) and one or more customer service terminals (e.g., customer service terminal  106  of  FIG. 1 ). The communication device  206  may transmit and receive communications over a wireless local area network (WLAN), the Internet, a satellite uplink/downlink, a cellular network, a broadband network, a wide area network, or the like. As described in more detail below, data received by the communication device  206  may include, without limitation: text-based messages from a chat-bot (i.e., AI entity) and/or a customer service terminal, and data associated with customer purchase orders, such as a purchase order number and purchase order status data, and other data compatible with the server system  200 . Data provided by the communication device  206  may include, without limitation, customer identifying information, requests for customer purchase order data, and the like. 
     The enterprise computing platform  208  may be implemented using a customer relationship management (CRM) software application, which is configured to store customer data including ordering data, pricing data, shipping data, or the like. In certain embodiments, the enterprise computing platform  208  may be implemented by a multi-tenant database system, as described in more detail with regard to  FIG. 5 . 
     The enterprise computing platform  208  is: (i) an event-driven, input/output (I/O), server-side JavaScript environment which encapsulates an intelligence layer; and (ii) core enterprise computing platform capabilities, which may include, but are not limited to, Representational State Transfer (ReST) application programming interface (API), Streaming API, Lightning Out, Visualforce, Apex, or the like. The CRM software application may store customer data and customer interaction data, business information, sales data, marketing data, customer support data, employee data, vendor and partner relationship data, or the like. The CRM software platform may also include functionality to manage customer data and customer interaction, access business information, automate sales, marketing and customer support and also manage employee, vendor and partner relationships. 
     The artificial intelligence (AI) module  210  is suitably configured to implement and use one or more AI entities, or in other words, “chat-bots”, to interact with a user via a text-based chat feature of any appropriate communication platform. As used herein, chat-bot may be defined as a computer program that simulates human conversation (i.e., “chat”) through artificial intelligence. Typically, a chat bot will communicate with a human user, and chat-bots are often used in applications such as ecommerce customer service. The AI module  210  implements one or more chat-bots to interact with any communication platform or chat product or service, such as Facebook Messenger, Slack, Telegram, Alexa, Skype, or any other text messaging platform. In certain embodiments, the AI module  210  provides a chat-bot to interact with a user via a communication platform executed and operated by the user. Such a chat-bot may provide text-based answers to user-entered, text-based queries. To accomplish this, the AI module  210  exchanges data with an application programming interface (API) module  212  that communicates with the enterprise computing platform  208 . The AI module  210  includes intelligence to interpret intent of a user and to make appropriate decisions based on past interactions with users. In the event of uncertainty (e.g., a user query with no predefined answer), the AI module  210  redirects the request to a live agent. 
     The application programming interface (API) module  212  is configured to establish a communication connection between the enterprise computing platform  208  and the AI module  210  for purposes of receiving user requests for data from the AI module  210 , obtaining requested data from the enterprise computing platform  208 , and establishing one or more communication channels from the AI module  210  to a customer service terminal communicatively coupled to the enterprise computing platform  208 , from which a live customer service agent may communicate with a user that has been communicating with a chat-bot provided by the AI module  210 . 
     In practice, the enterprise computing platform  208 , the artificial intelligence (AI) module  210 , and/or the application programming interface (API) module  212 , may be implemented with (or cooperate with) the at least one processor  202  to perform at least some of the functions and operations described in more detail herein. In this regard, the enterprise computing platform  208 , the AI module  210 , and/or the API module  212  may be realized as suitably written processing logic, application program code, or the like. 
       FIG. 3  is a functional block diagram of a computing device  300 , in accordance with the disclosed embodiments. The computing device  300  is configured for use, by a first user, to connect to and communicate with disparately located server systems executing artificial intelligence (AI) entities and/or a disparately located computer system operated by a second user (e.g., a customer service terminal). It should be noted that the computing device  300  can be implemented with the computer system  102  depicted in  FIG. 1 . In this regard, the computing device  300  shows certain elements and components of the computer system  102  in more detail. The computing device  300  generally includes, without limitation: at least one processor  302 ; system memory  304  hardware; a user interface  306 ; a communication platform  308 ; and a communication device  310 . The at least one processor  302 , the system memory  304 , and the communication device  310  are similar in configuration and function to their counterpart items described above in the context of the server system  200 . Accordingly, common features and operations of these elements of the computing device  300  will not be redundantly described here. 
     The user interface  306  may include or cooperate with various features to allow a user to interact with the computing device  300 . Accordingly, the user interface  306  may include various human-to-machine interfaces, e.g., a keypad, keys, a keyboard, buttons, switches, knobs, a touchpad, a joystick, a pointing device, a virtual writing tablet, a touch screen, a microphone, or any device, component, or function that enables the user to select options, input information, or otherwise control the operation of the computing device  300 . For example, the user interface  306  could be manipulated by an operator to conduct a text-based, online conversation or “chat” with an AI entity (i.e., chat-bot) connected via the communication device  310 , or to conduct a text-based, online chat with a live agent using a customer service terminal connected via the communication device  310 , as described herein. 
     In certain embodiments, the user interface  306  may include or cooperate with various features to allow a user to interact with the computing device  300  via graphical elements rendered on a display element. Accordingly, the user interface  306  may initiate the creation, maintenance, and presentation of a graphical user interface (GUI). In certain embodiments, the display device  312  implements touch-sensitive technology for purposes of interacting with the GUI. Thus, a user can manipulate the GUI by moving a cursor symbol rendered on the display device  312 , or by physically interacting with the display device  312  itself for recognition and interpretation, via the user interface  306 . 
     The communication platform  308  is configured to provide an interface through which a user may conduct a text-based online conversation (i.e., online chat). The communication platform  308  is generally implemented as a software application that is stored, maintained, and executed by the computing device  300 . The communication platform  308  may be implemented using any communication platform or chat product or service, such as Facebook Messenger, Slack, Telegram, Alexa, Skype, or any other text messaging platform. The communication platform  308  is suitably configured to establish a text-based communication connection between the computing device  300 , and: (i) an artificial intelligence (AI) entity (i.e., chat-bot) maintained and executed by a server system, and/or (ii) a human agent communicating from a customer service terminal. 
     The display device  312  is configured to display various icons, text, and/or graphical elements associated with the use of the communication platform  308  to communicate with an AI entity or “chat-bot”. In an exemplary embodiment, the display device  312  is communicatively coupled to the user interface  306 , and the user interface  306  is communicatively coupled to the at least one processor  302 . The at least one processor  302 , the user interface  306 , and the display device  312  are cooperatively configured to display, render, or otherwise convey one or more graphical representations or images associated with the communication platform  308  on the display device  312 , as described in greater detail below. In an exemplary embodiment, the display device  312  is realized as an electronic display, as described herein. In some embodiments, the display device  312  is implemented as a display screen of a standalone, personal computing device (e.g., laptop computer, tablet computer). It will be appreciated that although the display device  312  may be implemented using a single display, certain embodiments may use additional displays (i.e., a plurality of displays) to accomplish the functionality of the display device  312  described herein. 
       FIG. 4  is a communication diagram  400 , which illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a communication flow between elements of an artificial intelligence (AI) communication system. The AI communication system includes a communication platform  404  operated by a user  402  to communicate with an AI entity  406 . As described with regard to  FIGS. 1-3 , the communication platform  404  is generally executed on a computer system operated by the user  402 . The various tasks performed, and messages transmitted, in connection with communication diagram  400  may be performed by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. For illustrative purposes, the following description of communication diagram  400  may refer to elements mentioned above in connection with  FIGS. 1-3 . In practice, portions of communication diagram  400  may be performed by different elements of the described system, e.g., the communication platform  404 , the AI entity  406 , the API module  408 , or the enterprise computing platform  410 . It should be appreciated that communication diagram  400  may include any number of additional or alternative tasks or message transmissions, the messages/communications shown in  FIG. 4  need not be performed in the illustrated order, and the message transmissions illustrated in communication diagram  400  may be incorporated into a more comprehensive procedure or process having additional functionality not described in detail herein. Moreover, one or more of the tasks and/or message transmissions shown in  FIG. 4  could be omitted from an embodiment of performance of the AI communication system as long as the intended overall functionality remains intact. 
     The AI entity  406  is configured to conduct a text-based, automated conversation with the user  402  via the communication platform  404 . During the text-based, automated conversation, the AI entity  406  operates to (i) receive requests from the user  402 , via the communication platform  404 ; (ii) obtain data from the enterprise computing platform  410  that is relevant to the requests from the user  402 , using the application programming interface (API) module  408 ; and (iii) provide the relevant data to the user  402 , via the communication platform  404 . In certain embodiments, the AI entity  406  is implemented as a chat-bot (described above with regard to  FIGS. 1-2 ). Additionally, the AI entity  406  operates to establish a chat communication connection from the communication platform  404  to a customer service terminal  412 , such that the user  402  can conduct a chat conversation with a customer service agent, instead of an automated chat-bot implemented by the AI entity  406 . 
     In this exemplary embodiment, the communication platform  404  first receives login credentials from the user  402 , for purposes of logging the user  402  into the communication platform  404  to interface with the AI entity  406 . Here, the user  402  logs into an online chat product (i.e., the communication platform  404 ) to conduct an online chat with a chat-bot (i.e., the AI entity  406 ). 
     After receiving the user login credentials, the communication platform  404  transmits connected application details to the AI entity  406  for purposes of establishing a communication connection with the AI entity  406 . In response, the AI entity  406  establishes the connection with the communication platform  404  and transmits connection details to the API module  408  and the enterprise computing platform  410 . Once connection details are received, the enterprise computing platform  410  establishes a connection to the AI entity  406 , such that the AI entity  406  can retrieve data from the enterprise computing platform  410  and perform operations using the enterprise computing platform  410 . 
     After the enterprise computing platform  410  has established the connection to the AI entity  406 , the user  402  can provide the communication platform  404  with an initial greeting (e.g., “Hi”) to initiate communication with the AI entity  406 . The AI entity  406  responds to the initial greeting by providing an acknowledgment greeting, and participating in general conversation with the user  402  via the communication platform  404 , by providing predetermined responses to initial inquiries. 
     In some embodiments, the AI entity  406  receives a communication from a user indicating that the user would like to place an order to purchase a product or service. In this scenario, the AI entity  406  receives a set of text data and interprets the set of text data to determine an appropriate response. Here, the AI entity  406  performs a lookup in a memory storage location, and compares the received text-based message to a plurality of stored text-based messages to locate a match. When the match is located, then the AI entity  406  identifies a corresponding action that is also stored in the memory storage location, wherein the action corresponds to one of the plurality of stored text-based messages (i.e., the “match”) and indicates an appropriate procedure for the AI entity  406  to execute and complete and/or a text-based message for the AI entity  406  to transmit via the communication platform  404 . 
     Here, when the AI entity  406  determines, based on user input to the communication platform  404 , that the user  402  wishes to place an order to purchase a product or service, then the AI entity  406  performs appropriate actions at the enterprise computing platform  410  to create an order in the enterprise computing platform  410 . As described previously, the enterprise computing platform may be implemented as a customer relationship management (CRM) software application and database, which may be used to create and store customer and ecommerce data. 
     The customer order is created by the AI entity  406  using the API module  408 . The API module  408  provides a mechanism through which the AI entity  406  performs operations at the enterprise computing platform  410 . The API module  408  has direct access to information stored in any database maintained by the enterprise computing platform  410 , and to create or query orders stored and maintained by the enterprise computing platform  410 . The API module  408  also has a “streaming” capability that pushes any updates that are made to the order records in the database. 
     Once the customer order is created, by the AI entity  406  at the enterprise computing platform  410 , the enterprise computing platform  410  transmits an order number to the communication platform  404 , for viewing by the user  402 . As shown in the communication diagram  400 , the enterprise computing platform  410  “pushes” or in other words, transmits, order status data to the communication platform  404  for presentation to the user  402 . In some embodiments, the enterprise computing platform  410  continuously streams the order status data to the communication platform  404 , for continuous viewing by the user  402 . In some embodiments, the AI entity  406  transmits a request for an order status, and the enterprise computing platform  410  provides the order status in response to the request. 
     The AI entity  406  is also configured to receive requests from the user  402 , via the communication platform  404 , to bypass the text-based communication connection to the AI entity  406  (i.e., the chat-bot connection) to establish a communication connection to a customer service terminal  412  for purposes of conducting a text-based chat session with a live agent, or in other words, to communicate with a human being rather than a chat-bot. In this scenario, the user  402  enters a request to chat with a live agent, via the communication platform  404 . The request is transmitted by the AI entity  406  to the enterprise computing platform  410 , and the API module  408  establishes a communication connection between the communication platform  404  and the customer service terminal  412 . Once the communication connection is established by the API module  408 , the user  402  is able to chat with the live agent at the customer service terminal  412  using the communication connection. Once the communication channel is established, the AI entity  406  disconnects from the connection to the user  402 , and the live agent at the customer service terminal  412  is responsible for servicing the customer. 
       FIG. 5  is a conceptual block diagram of a multi-tenant system  500  in accordance with the disclosed embodiments. The multi-tenant system  500  may be used to in conjunction with the CRM software applications described previously. Platform as a Service (PaaS) is the foundation of the multi-tenant architecture. At the heart, this PaaS is a relational database management system. All of the core mechanisms in a relational database management system (RDBMS) (e.g., a system catalog, caching mechanisms, query optimizer, and application development features) are built to support multi-tenant applications and to be run directly on top of a specifically tuned host operating system and raw hardware. The runtime engine has the intelligence to access the metadata and transactional data and perform the application functionality that can scale. 
     The multi-tenant system  500  of  FIG. 5  includes a server  502  that dynamically creates and supports virtual applications  528  based upon data  532  from a common database  530  that is shared between multiple tenants, alternatively referred to herein as a multi-tenant database. Data and services generated by the virtual applications  528  are provided via a network  545  to any number of client devices  540 , as desired. Each virtual application  528  is suitably generated at run-time (or on-demand) using a common application platform  510  that securely provides access to the data  532  in the database  530  for each of the various tenants subscribing to the multi-tenant system  500 . In accordance with one non-limiting example, the multi-tenant system  500  is implemented in the form of an on-demand multi-tenant customer relationship management (CRM) system that can support any number of authenticated users of multiple tenants. 
     As used herein, a “tenant” or an “organization” should be understood as referring to a group of one or more users that shares access to common subset of the data within the multi-tenant database  530 . In this regard, each tenant includes one or more users associated with, assigned to, or otherwise belonging to that respective tenant. To put it another way, each respective user within the multi-tenant system  500  is associated with, assigned to, or otherwise belongs to a particular tenant of the plurality of tenants supported by the multi-tenant system  500 . Tenants may represent customers, customer departments, business or legal organizations, and/or any other entities that maintain data for particular sets of users within the multi-tenant system  500  (i.e., in the multi-tenant database  530 ). For example, the application server  502  may be associated with one or more tenants supported by the multi-tenant system  500 . Although multiple tenants may share access to the server  502  and the database  530 , the particular data and services provided from the server  502  to each tenant can be securely isolated from those provided to other tenants (e.g., by restricting other tenants from accessing a particular tenant&#39;s data using that tenant&#39;s unique organization identifier as a filtering criterion). The multi-tenant architecture therefore allows different sets of users to share functionality and hardware resources without necessarily sharing any of the data  532  belonging to or otherwise associated with other tenants. 
     The multi-tenant database  530  is any sort of repository or other data storage system capable of storing and managing the data  532  associated with any number of tenants. The database  530  may be implemented using any type of conventional database server hardware. In various embodiments, the database  530  shares processing hardware  504  with the server  502 . In other embodiments, the database  530  is implemented using separate physical and/or virtual database server hardware that communicates with the server  502  to perform the various functions described herein. In an exemplary embodiment, the database  530  includes a database management system or other equivalent software capable of determining an optimal query plan for retrieving and providing a particular subset of the data  532  to an instance of virtual application  528  in response to a query initiated or otherwise provided by a virtual application  528 . The multi-tenant database  530  may alternatively be referred to herein as an on-demand database, in that the multi-tenant database  530  provides (or is available to provide) data at run-time to on-demand virtual applications  528  generated by the application platform  510 . 
     In practice, the data  532  may be organized and formatted in any manner to support the application platform  510 . In various embodiments, the data  532  is suitably organized into a relatively small number of large data tables to maintain a semi-amorphous “heap”-type format. The data  532  can then be organized as needed for a particular virtual application  528 . In various embodiments, conventional data relationships are established using any number of pivot tables  534  that establish indexing, uniqueness, relationships between entities, and/or other aspects of conventional database organization as desired. Further data manipulation and report formatting is generally performed at run-time using a variety of metadata constructs. Metadata within a universal data directory (UDD)  536 , for example, can be used to describe any number of forms, reports, workflows, user access privileges, business logic and other constructs that are common to multiple tenants. Tenant-specific formatting, functions and other constructs may be maintained as tenant-specific metadata  538  for each tenant, as desired. Rather than forcing the data  532  into an inflexible global structure that is common to all tenants and applications, the database  530  is organized to be relatively amorphous, with the pivot tables  534  and the metadata  538  providing additional structure on an as-needed basis. To that end, the application platform  510  suitably uses the pivot tables  534  and/or the metadata  538  to generate “virtual” components of the virtual applications  528  to logically obtain, process, and present the relatively amorphous data  532  from the database  530 . 
     The server  502  is implemented using one or more actual and/or virtual computing systems that collectively provide the dynamic application platform  510  for generating the virtual applications  528 . For example, the server  502  may be implemented using a cluster of actual and/or virtual servers operating in conjunction with each other, typically in association with conventional network communications, cluster management, load balancing and other features as appropriate. The server  502  operates with any sort of conventional processing hardware  504 , such as a processor  505 , memory  506 , input/output features  508  and the like. The input/output features  508  generally represent the interface(s) to networks (e.g., to the network  545 , or any other local area, wide area or other network), mass storage, display devices, data entry devices and/or the like. The processor  505  may be implemented using any suitable processing system, such as one or more processors, controllers, microprocessors, microcontrollers, processing cores and/or other computing resources spread across any number of distributed or integrated systems, including any number of “cloud-based” or other virtual systems. The memory  506  represents any non-transitory short or long term storage or other computer-readable media capable of storing programming instructions for execution on the processor  505 , including any sort of random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), flash memory, magnetic or optical mass storage, and/or the like. The computer-executable programming instructions, when read and executed by the server  502  and/or processor  505 , cause the server  502  and/or processor  505  to create, generate, or otherwise facilitate the application platform  510  and/or virtual applications  528  and perform one or more additional tasks, operations, functions, and/or processes described herein. It should be noted that the memory  506  represents one suitable implementation of such computer-readable media, and alternatively or additionally, the server  502  could receive and cooperate with external computer-readable media that is realized as a portable or mobile component or application platform, e.g., a portable hard drive, a USB flash drive, an optical disc, or the like. 
     The application platform  510  is any sort of software application or other data processing engine that generates the virtual applications  528  that provide data and/or services to the client devices  540 . In a typical embodiment, the application platform  510  gains access to processing resources, communications interfaces and other features of the processing hardware  504  using any sort of conventional or proprietary operating system  509 . The virtual applications  528  are typically generated at run-time in response to input received from the client devices  540 . For the illustrated embodiment, the application platform  510  includes a bulk data processing engine  512 , a query generator  514 , a search engine  516  that provides text indexing and other search functionality, and a runtime application generator  520 . Each of these features may be implemented as a separate process or other module, and many equivalent embodiments could include different and/or additional features, components or other modules as desired. 
     The runtime application generator  520  dynamically builds and executes the virtual applications  528  in response to specific requests received from the client devices  540 . The virtual applications  528  are typically constructed in accordance with the tenant-specific metadata  538 , which describes the particular tables, reports, interfaces and/or other features of the particular application  528 . In various embodiments, each virtual application  528  generates dynamic web content that can be served to a browser or other client program  542  associated with its client device  540 , as appropriate. 
     The runtime application generator  520  suitably interacts with the query generator  514  to efficiently obtain multi-tenant data  532  from the database  530  as needed in response to input queries initiated or otherwise provided by users of the client devices  540 . In a typical embodiment, the query generator  514  considers the identity of the user requesting a particular function (along with the user&#39;s associated tenant), and then builds and executes queries to the database  530  using system-wide metadata  536 , tenant specific metadata  538 , pivot tables  534 , and/or any other available resources. The query generator  514  in this example therefore maintains security of the common database  530  by ensuring that queries are consistent with access privileges granted to the user and/or tenant that initiated the request. In this manner, the query generator  514  suitably obtains requested subsets of data  532  accessible to a user and/or tenant from the database  530  as needed to populate the tables, reports or other features of the particular virtual application  528  for that user and/or tenant. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 5 , the data processing engine  512  performs bulk processing operations on the data  532  such as uploads or downloads, updates, online transaction processing, and/or the like. In many embodiments, less urgent bulk processing of the data  532  can be scheduled to occur as processing resources become available, thereby giving priority to more urgent data processing by the query generator  514 , the search engine  516 , the virtual applications  528 , etc. 
     In exemplary embodiments, the application platform  510  is utilized to create and/or generate data-driven virtual applications  528  for the tenants that they support. Such virtual applications  528  may make use of interface features such as custom (or tenant-specific) screens  524 , standard (or universal) screens  522  or the like. Any number of custom and/or standard objects  526  may also be available for integration into tenant-developed virtual applications  528 . As used herein, “custom” should be understood as meaning that a respective object or application is tenant-specific (e.g., only available to users associated with a particular tenant in the multi-tenant system) or user-specific (e.g., only available to a particular subset of users within the multi-tenant system), whereas “standard” or “universal” applications or objects are available across multiple tenants in the multi-tenant system. For example, a virtual CRM application may utilize standard objects  526  such as “account” objects, “opportunity” objects, “contact” objects, or the like. The data  532  associated with each virtual application  528  is provided to the database  530 , as appropriate, and stored until it is requested or is otherwise needed, along with the metadata  538  that describes the particular features (e.g., reports, tables, functions, objects, fields, formulas, code, etc.) of that particular virtual application  528 . For example, a virtual application  528  may include a number of objects  526  accessible to a tenant, wherein for each object  526  accessible to the tenant, information pertaining to its object type along with values for various fields associated with that respective object type are maintained as metadata  538  in the database  530 . In this regard, the object type defines the structure (e.g., the formatting, functions and other constructs) of each respective object  526  and the various fields associated therewith. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 5 , the data and services provided by the server  502  can be retrieved using any sort of personal computer, mobile telephone, tablet or other network-enabled client device  540  on the network  545 . In an exemplary embodiment, the client device  540  includes a display device, such as a monitor, screen, or another conventional electronic display capable of graphically presenting data and/or information retrieved from the multi-tenant database  530 . Typically, the user operates a conventional browser application or other client program  542  executed by the client device  540  to contact the server  502  via the network  545  using a networking protocol, such as the hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) or the like. The user typically authenticates his or her identity to the server  502  to obtain a session identifier (“SessionID”) that identifies the user in subsequent communications with the server  502 . When the identified user requests access to a virtual application  528 , the runtime application generator  520  suitably creates the application at run time based upon the metadata  538 , as appropriate. As noted above, the virtual application  528  may contain Java, ActiveX, or other content that can be presented using conventional client software running on the client device  540 ; other embodiments may simply provide dynamic web or other content that can be presented and viewed by the user, as desired. 
     Techniques and technologies may be described herein in terms of functional and/or logical block components, and with reference to symbolic representations of operations, processing tasks, and functions that may be performed by various computing components or devices. Such operations, tasks, and functions are sometimes referred to as being computer-executed, computerized, software-implemented, or computer-implemented. In practice, one or more processor devices can carry out the described operations, tasks, and functions by manipulating electrical signals representing data bits at memory locations in the system memory, as well as other processing of signals. The memory locations where data bits are maintained are physical locations that have particular electrical, magnetic, optical, or organic properties corresponding to the data bits. It should be appreciated that the various block components shown in the figures may be realized by any number of hardware, software, and/or firmware components configured to perform the specified functions. For example, an embodiment of a system or a component may employ various integrated circuit components, e.g., memory elements, digital signal processing elements, logic elements, look-up tables, or the like, which may carry out a variety of functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices. 
     When implemented in software or firmware, various elements of the systems described herein are essentially the code segments or instructions that perform the various tasks. The program or code segments can be stored in a processor-readable medium or transmitted by a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave over a transmission medium or communication path. The “computer-readable medium”, “processor-readable medium”, or “machine-readable medium” may include any medium that can store or transfer information. Examples of the processor-readable medium include an electronic circuit, a semiconductor memory device, a ROM, a flash memory, an erasable ROM (EROM), a floppy diskette, a CD-ROM, an optical disk, a hard disk, a fiber optic medium, a radio frequency (RF) link, or the like. The computer data signal may include any signal that can propagate over a transmission medium such as electronic network channels, optical fibers, air, electromagnetic paths, or RF links. The code segments may be downloaded via computer networks such as the Internet, an intranet, a LAN, or the like. 
     The following description refers to elements or nodes or features being “connected” or “coupled” together. As used herein, unless expressly stated otherwise, “coupled” means that one element/node/feature is directly or indirectly joined to (or directly or indirectly communicates with) another element/node/feature, and not necessarily mechanically. Likewise, unless expressly stated otherwise, “connected” means that one element/node/feature is directly joined to (or directly communicates with) another element/node/feature, and not necessarily mechanically. Thus, although the schematic shown in  FIGS. 1-3  each depict one exemplary arrangement of elements, additional intervening elements, devices, features, or components may be present in an embodiment of the depicted subject matter. 
     For the sake of brevity, conventional techniques related to signal processing, data transmission, signaling, network control, and other functional aspects of the systems (and the individual operating components of the systems) may not be described in detail herein. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in an embodiment of the subject matter. 
     Some of the functional units described in this specification have been referred to as “modules” in order to more particularly emphasize their implementation independence. For example, functionality referred to herein as a module may be implemented wholly, or partially, as a hardware circuit comprising custom VLSI circuits or gate arrays, off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or other discrete components. A module may also be implemented in programmable hardware devices such as field programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable logic devices, or the like. Modules may also be implemented in software for execution by various types of processors. An identified module of executable code may, for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical modules of computer instructions that may, for instance, be organized as an object, procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the executables of an identified module need not be physically located together, but may comprise disparate instructions stored in different locations that, when joined logically together, comprise the module and achieve the stated purpose for the module. A module of executable code may be a single instruction, or many instructions, and may even be distributed over several different code segments, among different programs, and across several memory devices. Similarly, operational data may be embodied in any suitable form and organized within any suitable type of data structure. The operational data may be collected as a single data set, or may be distributed over different locations including over different storage devices, and may exist, at least partially, merely as electronic signals on a system or network. 
     While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or embodiments described herein are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the claimed subject matter in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing the described embodiment or embodiments. It should be understood that various changes can be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the scope defined by the claims, which includes known equivalents and foreseeable equivalents at the time of filing this patent application.