Patent ID: 8756209

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for confidence-based computing resource allocation in a networked computing environment, comprising: receiving a deep question and answer (DeepQA) natural language query from a querying user into a computer storage medium; performing a search of one or more databases based on the query to identify a response to the query, the response being in response to a single query; determining a confidence level specific to the response to the single query based on the following: a speed with which the response is identified, an amount of computing resources utilized to identify the response, a quantity of the one or more databases accessed to identify the response, and historical data associated with previous queries submitted by the querying user; comparing the confidence level to a predetermined threshold on a query-by-query basis; responsive to the confidence level not meeting the predetermined threshold, allocating an additional amount of computing resources and continuing to perform the search to identify the response to the single query based on the additional amount of computing resources; and sending the response to the querying user when the confidence level meets the predetermined threshold.